


Shifted Reality

by Duochanfan



Series: Harsh Reality [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Gen, slight angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2018-02-26
Packaged: 2018-04-18 17:20:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 43,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4714151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Duochanfan/pseuds/Duochanfan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry James Potter-Malfoy is about to celebrate his eleventh birthday, and through his bedroom window he gets his Hogwarts letter. Which house will he end up in?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just having a little fun while I can.
> 
> Well, here it is, finally. I am really, really nervous about it, so I do hope that you will all enjoy it.
> 
> Thanks to TyanataDraven for the title Idea, I love them!

**Shifted Reality**

**Chapter One**

Harry buttoned up the shirt he was going to wear. A large smile was on his face as he was once again celebrating his birthday with his friends and his family. That last word still gave him a warm feeling in his chest. Harry turned around as there came a pounding of feet towards his bedroom and the door burst open. Harry laughed as his little brother went over to his bed and climbed onto it.

"Mattie, be careful," Harry told him as he went over and watched as his little four year old brother started jumping on the bed.

"But it's fun Harry," he complained as he gave a large jump and landed on his bum, laughing.

"I know, but you can fall off and hurt yourself, I should know I've done it a few times," he gave a little sigh, still smiling.

Mattie looked to him a grinned, his pale blue eyes were filled with laughter as he stood up on the bed once more and jumped off, landing right next to Harry, "See, I'm good Harry!" he exclaimed, grinning widely.

Harry huffed a little and then smiled to him, he ruffled the light blond hair and then pulled his little brother into a hug, "Just be careful, you're my little brother and I'm supposed to watch out for you," he told him.

Mattie nodded his head, "I know."

Harry pulled back and looked to the window as he heard a tapping on the glass. Harry grinned widely as he rushed over and opened the window. He took the letter from the owl and said, "Thank you, I'll send my reply later."

"Is that?" Mattie asked as he walked over slowly, eyes wide as he looked to the letter that Harry now held.

Harry nodded excitedly as he grabbed Mattie's hand and pulled him from the bedroom, "Come on, we have to show mum and dad," he smiled as the two of them went down the stairs.

"Mummy, daddy!" Mattie shouted as they went, "Harry has his letter!"

Harry chuckled as they reached the bottom of the stairs. Medusa sitting there waiting to meet him, the six year old dog was still as hyper as she had been as a puppy, but still loyal to her Master Harry. Harry went over to his parents and smiled at them, "Look," he said, waving it around.

"Well, open it and read it then?" Marge grinned as she sat on the sofa, Tiberius standing nearby.

_HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY_

_Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore_

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc, Chf. Warlock,_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)_

_Dear Mr Potter-Malfoy_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at_ _Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_ _. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment._

_Term Begins on 1st September. We await you owl by no later than 31st July._

_Yours Sincerely_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

Harry finished reading it out and then looked to them, "But I have to reply today!" he exclaimed as he saw the date.

"We know, we asked if they would send it today for you, since I thought it would be nice to receive it on your birthday. A lot of students get them on their eleventh birthday because they are during the year," Tiberius explained to him.

"Like Hermione got her last year, and Draco on his birthday?" Harry asked him.

Tiberius nodded to his son, "yes, it didn't seem fair that you would get it early, so I talked to Professor McGonagall and she said she would send it today, we all know that you want to go, so I already told her that you would be."

Harry grinned, "So I don't have to send anything to her to tell her I'm coming dad?"

Tiberius shook his head, "no, you don't."

Mattie was silent as he looked between his parents and his big brother. He sniffed a little as he realised what was going on, "but… but that means you're gonna leave me," he said as he burst into tears at the thought of his big brother not being there to play with after school.

Harry put the letter down and went over to his little brother and pulled him into a large hug, "It's okay, we can write to each other all the time and I will come back at Christmas. Luna will still be here and you'll have your friends from school as well," he told him, rocking him a little.

"But it wont be you," he sniffed a little as he held his brother tightly.

"I know, but I have to go and learn how to be a wizard, just like when you get older you will as well," Harry told him, smiling down at him as he pulled back.

Mattie nodded and gave another little sniff, "Okay," he mumbled. He liked the idea of going to Hogwarts himself, but he would miss his brother a lot.

"Right, are you two ready?" Marge asked them both.

"Yes Mummy!" both boys said, smiling a little.

"Good, we have a party to get ready for," she smiled as she stood up and pulled them both into her arms, "I know you will do well at school Harry, and Mattie, soon enough it will be you leave and then I will really be crying at the thought of you all leaving me at home," she said, giving a little sniff, as she didn't like the idea of Harry leaving.

"It's going to be all right mum," Harry sighed as he hugged her tightly.

"I know, now lets finish getting ready, guest will start arriving soon," Marge smiled to them both as she stood up and took Tiberius hand as the small family got ready for Harry's eleventh birthday party, this one will be party number seven for the little wizard. To Marge it still felt like yesterday that she had everything she needed to be Harry mother.

XxXxX

Harry grinned as he looked around the back garden. There were so many dogs around and all of his friends had been able to make it again. His friends parents were there as well. He was happy, how could he not be with so many celebrating his birthday with him. Harry rushed over to where Draco and Hermione were begging their dads to play a game with them all.

"All right, All right," Lucius said as he held up his hands to stall the two of them in their words.

"So you will dad?" Draco grinned up to him.

Lucius smiled and chuckled, "Yes, we will. Now, there will be no magic, since you little ones cant use it yet," he grinned as he looked to the others, "So is everyone up for a water fight?" he asked the adults, mainly looking to the dads of the group.

Dion nodded his head from where he was standing next to Lucius, "may as well, its good weather for it," he grinned. Nate, Xenophilius, Tiberius, Septimus Greengrass and Amelia Bones stood up.

"I think we are all up for it," Amelia said as she looked to her niece Susan, who grinned to her Aunt.

"This should be fun!" Dean yelled, as Luna laughed lightly.

"Quiet boys," Marge admonished a little as she looked over to Michelle Thomas and Pandora Lovegood, both of them had babies on their laps. Two little girls, a baby sister for Dean and a baby sister for Luna.

"Don't worry, I put a charm over them so no mater how loud things get, they wont be waking up any time soon," Pandora smiled as she looked down to her seven week old daughter and then over to her eldest child.

"I am so glad of that," Michelle laughed lightly as she bounced her fussy eight month old.

"Right, rules," Tiberius said as he looked to the children that had all gathered around, "We keep away from those not playing, we also stay away from the food. Each of you will have a super soaker with is spelled to not run out of water, we adults will have the same. Which ever team is the driest wins. It shall be old verses the young," he grinned as he began to hand out the super soaker's that he had spelled.

"This will be fun," Xenophilius grinned as he took one and looked to his daughter, "be warned Luna, I shall be going for you," he teased her.

Luna laughed brightly, "You can try Father," she said as she gave a little twirl.

"Astoria, Daphne, I shall be doing the same, you stand no chance against your old man," Septimus grinned to his two daughters.

Astoria and Daphne shared a look, "We shall see Papa, we shall see," they grinned together as they looked to the other kids and smiled. They needed a plan of attack.

As soon as the children all had a super soaker each, they all went off to one side of the garden and started to plan. The dogs went over to them and gave them all a little input as well. Every one of them had a Guardian Dog. Marge had been overwhelmed since Harry had gone to live with her, the number of puppies per litter had gone up dramatically, and magical families had been going to her for Dogs as well. Tiberius knew it was an omen of things to come when those children grew up, the Guardian dogs would be needed.

Marge sat near the other parents as she watched her husband and children. She placed a hand on her stomach and smiled, she couldn't wait to tell her two boys. It had been a bit of a surprise, since they had thought she wouldn't be able to have another child. Mathew had been the biggest surprise, and helped along a lot by magic. Narcissa and Perdita were once again taking as many pictures as they could of what was going on. Narcissa couldn't help but laugh loudly as she watched her husband fall to the ground and get soaked as Draco, Harry and Hermione ganged up on him.

"Oh, such wonderful memories," she laughed.

"I know, it's why I'm recording this time," Perdita smiled as she glanced over to her friend.

"Muggle technology, so wonderful," Narcissa grinned over to her.

"Yes, I have had Tiberius charm them all so they will work in the Wizarding homes. He is a bit of a genius," she smiled back.

Narcissa nodded, "He has lived as a Muggle for so long, he knows what they can do and how to charm them so they can work in a magical environment," she smiled, happy that she would be able to watch these precious moments again without having to find a pensive, which were expensive and rather rare.

The day carried on and the young ones won the game as the adults began to charm them all dry. Presents had been opened and it was time once again for the cake to come out and for Harry to make a birthday wish. Marge went into the kitchen and picked up one of the cakes that were on the side and brought it out. Everyone began to sing Happy Birthday to Harry. Harry grinned as he was able to blow out the candles and make his wish. He grinned as he looked around his family, he didn't think there was anything more he could wish for.

Marge smiled, happy that she had been able to get the cake to the table and turned around to get a knife from the kitchen. There was a flurry of barking and the pounding of feet as three dogs headed towards the table. Marge turned and sighed as she watched the three bash into the legs of the table and the cake went flying into the air.

Marge wiped cake from her face once more, "Every time, every single time," she sighed as she gave a little chuckle.

"I got it on film this time!" Perdita called out, laughing, as were all the others.

Draco, Hermione and Harry stood there as their dogs were sat next to them, looking sorry for what they had done, "Sorry!" the three called out to Marge.

Marge smiled to them, "it's happened every single time you three, every single birthday party, even Mattie's cake has ended up on my head a few times."

"I think it has become a tradition Marge," Tiberius said as he went over to his wife and cleaned her up with a spell and placed a loving kiss on her lips, "I'll get the other cake," he smiled as he flicked his wrist to summon the other cake as Lucius set everything right in the garden again.

"I do love coming to your parties Uncle Tiberius," Lucius said as he looked to the man, "Always fun to watch," he joked.

The rest of the party went by with no more incidents. Marge said goodbye to the last of the guests and went into the living room where all her boys were sitting on the sofa. Harry reading to Mattie as Tiberius sat nearby watching them with a happy smile on his face.

"Shall we tell them?" she asked as she walked over to Tiberius, who stood up and took her outstretched hand.

"I think it would make one last present for Harry," he chuckled as that got the boys attention.

"What is it dad?" Harry asked as he looked to his parents.

"Well, at Christmas we will be having someone new join our family," Marge smiled to them.

Harry frowned for a moment as he puzzled over the cryptic clue, "Oh," he said as his eye went wide, "A baby!?" he exclaimed as he jumped form the sofa and went over to his mother.

Marge nodded her head, "yes, a baby, you'll have to wait till around Christmas to find out if it will be a baby brother or sister though," she told him, as she wanted to surprise the two of them.

"I'm gonna be a big brother?" Mattie asked his parents.

Tiberius nodded as he picked up his youngest son, "yes you are, just like Harry," he told him.

"Wow," he grinned as he looked down to Harry, "I'm gonna be like you Harry!" he said, excited about being like his big brother.

"Yep," Harry nodded, smiling back, "Don't forget that you have to protect them and make sure they are happy. It can be hard work sometimes," he warned him as Tiberius put the little child down.

Mattie looked to Harry and nodded his head, "Okay," he said, "I will do my best like you."

"That's wonderful to hear," Marge smiled at her two sons, "Well, lets get you both ready for bed, I know its a little early, but after the excitement of the day, you both need an early night."

Harry and Mattie gave a moan as they went up stairs to change and get ready for bed. Marge and Tiberius smiled as they watched them. They shared a sweet kiss as Marge followed them up to tuck them in, Tiberius following in a few moments later.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just messing around while I can.

**Shifted Reality**

**Chapter Two**

Harry stood in the living room holding his summer robe as he looked to his parents as they finished helping Mattie get dressed. The younger boy was too excited to even try and do it himself. As soon as they had finished he bounced over to Harry and grabbed onto him arm, pulling him down. A large grin was on his face and pale blue eyes shone brightly.

"Mathew Tiberius Malfoy! Please stop bouncing around!" Marge scolded him a little.

The little boy stopped and looked to his mother as he began to rock on his feet instead of bounce, though he still had a hold of Harry's arm, "But mummy, we're going to Diagon Alley and I really want to go, we don't go very much because people always try to see Harry," he pouted a little at being told off.

"I know you're excited, but we are going there is nothing that will stop us. Now you just have to be patient so we can all get ready and take the portkey," she told him, a gentle smile on her face.

"Yes Mummy," he sighed as he pouted even more, but he stopped the rocking and waited for everyone to get their robes on. The only time they would wear them was when they went to Diagon Alley, and that was mainly hoping that they would blend in.

"Okay," Tiberius said with a smile, "Let's go, we'll be meeting the Granger's and my Nephews family at Gringotts," he said as he pulled out the small lengths of rope that they were using to get to the Alley. It would drop them off at the Portkey point inside the Leaky Cauldron.

The four of them took hold, with Tiberius also holding onto Mattie, making sure that he didn't accidentally let go. With a whirl of wind they were off. Moments later they were in the Leaky Cauldron. They walked off the Portkey point and into the pub. Tiberius checked them all over, making sure that they were all right. Marge looked a little green so he went over to the bar and asked for a glass of water. Tom handed one over and Tiberius gave it to his wife.

"Thank you," Marge smiled to him as it helped settle her stomach a little, "I do hate travailing like that," she murmured.

"I know, but it's only a couple of times you need to, using the floo is all right as well, but the floo can get backed up during the month leading up to September 1st.

Marge smiled and then looked to her boys, who were waiting patiently. Harry had explained what was wrong with her to Mattie, as he had worried that his mummy was becoming ill, "Well, shall we go into the Alley?" she asked them.

Mattie nodded his head and almost darted away if it wasn't for Harry grabbing his hand and pulling him back, "Mattie, you know you're not to run off, you have to keep hold of my hand," Harry told his baby brother.

"Sorry," he grinned, not really repentant.

"Mattie, you stay with Harry, you keep hold of his hand or I'm going to be carrying you around the alley all day," Tiberius threatened his son, a sharp look to him.

"Yes daddy," he nodded, pouting once more but behaving and keeping hold of Harry's hand. He didn't like being carried everywhere, that was what happened the last time they had come to the alley and he couldn't look at all that he wanted to last time.

Tiberius smiled and took Marge's hand and they walked out of the Leaky Cauldron and towards Gringotts. It didn't take long for word to spread that Harry Potter was in the alley, and people began to crowd around. Harry hated the attention that it would bring.

"Oh, Harry Potter in Diagon Alley, it's so nice to see you out," said one of the gathered mothers.

Harry gave a little sigh as they reached the steps of Gringotts and he turned to the gathered crowd, "I thank you for coming out to see me, but I wish to have a peaceful day shopping with my family as I start a journey we all take. I will be going to Hogwarts this year and I need to do my shopping, like ever other student. So I please ask that you leave us all alone," he said politely, just like Tiberius and Uncle Lucius had been teaching him. He hated being diplomatic, he would rather shout at them sometimes.

"Sorry," said one mother as people began to do as he ask and leave them all alone. The young Potter-Malfoy knew that he wouldn't be left alone fully, but it would stop a lot of the people from coming up to him and trying to hug him. It caused his mother to panic the first time it had happened, thinking someone might take him away, which was an unfortunate possibility.

Harry gave a smile and looked to his dad, "How was that?" he asked him softly.

"I'm very proud with how you handled that, it's always best to remain polite, I know you don't like all the attention, but Lucius and I know how fickle the world can be, you never know when that fame you have might be needed for something," he told him as he ruffled messy black hair.

They walked into Gringotts and spotted Hermione and her family getting some money changed into galleons. Draco was waiting with them as Lucius stood at the teller, having some money drawn from his vault. Tiberius went over to one and did the same as well. Harry went over to his two best friends, Mattie keeping hold of his hand.

"Hey," he grinned to them both.

"Harry!" Hermione smiled widely as she quickly hugged him, "I am so excited, been waiting to do this for months. Mum and dad said we wont do my school shopping until we could all go together, so we had to wait for you," she pouted and huffed at having to wait.

"Yes, but we have been having lessons with Remus for the last several years, so we already have a leg up on most of those that are going to school," Draco pointed out to her.

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I know," she sighed.

"I know you want to learn everything Hermione, but that will never happen," Harry teased his friend, a large smile on his face.

Hermione scowled at him and gave him a light punch on the arm, "Not nice Harry James."

"Sorry Hermione, but we know what you are like," Harry said as Draco nodded in agreement.

"You want to know everything, no one will be able to do that. I doubt even Rowena Ravenclaw would have been able to learn everything there is," Draco said to her, a smile on his face.

Hermione sighed softly as the parents began to gather around then, "I know, so lets head to the book shop first!" she said as the four children led the way out of Gringotts.

Dion looked to his daughter and shook his head, "She takes after you and your father," he said as he looked to his wife.

"I know," she chuckled and they held each others hands and walked side by side out of the bank.

XxXxX

They headed towards Olivanders, they had gotten trunks, books and everything they needed for Hogwarts. The last thing they needed was a wand. They walked out of Madam Malkins and towards Olivanders when someone large loomed over them as he walked down the alley.

"Wow!" Mattie exclaimed as he looked up to the man that was about to step around him.

"Oh hello there," came a booming voice.

"Hi, I'm Mattie," he greeted as he then introduced the other kids, "This is my big brother Harry, and out friends Hermione and Draco," he said in the way that his dad had taught him.

"Well aren't you a polite one," the man said, "I'm Rubeus Hagrid, keeper of the Keys of Hogwarts, and I see that you three will be joining us there," he smiled, beady black eyes warm and friendly.

"Yes Sir," Harry nodded his head, smiling back.

"Oh, no need to call me a sir, just Hagrid," he told them all, "Well, I can't stop, got a little business to do for Dumbledore, I'll see you all at Hogwarts," he grinned to them as he gave them all a friendly nod and headed down the alley towards Gringotts.

"He seems nice," Hermione said with a little smile as they carried on to Olivanders.

Draco nodded, "He looks like he might be a giant though, or part giant," he said as he remembered some of the lessons he had with Remus and the others.

"Yes, but that doesn't matter, don't forget that," Harry said as Draco and Hermione nodded as they walked into the Wand Shop.

"Hello, well, Little Malfoy and a Little Potter side by side, never thought I would see the day, and between you a young woman who will be a force to be reckoned with," came the misty voice of Olivander as he walked over to them all.

"Hello," the three children said as one, as Mattie went to hide by his mother, the man had spooked him a little.

"Mr Malfoy," he said as he looked to Draco, "Which is your wand arm?" he asked as Draco raised his right arm, a measuring tape went swirling around, as he then did the same with Hermione and Harry.

Olivander started with Malfoy first, handing him wand after wand. The seventh one felt warm to Draco as he gave it a swish and multi coloured lights rained from it, "Hawthorn, unicorn Hair, reasonably spring, powerful as well." He said as he then boxed it up and Lucius stepped forwards to pay.

Hermione was the next one to find her wand, "this one," she said as she got the same reaction as Draco.

"Very nice, Vine, Dragon Heartstring, we can expect great things from you Miss Grange, a challenging wand and temperamental," he said as he then boxed that one up and the Granger's paid for it.

Harry went through nearly all the wands that Olivander had in his stock, he went into the back and came back with a dusty box, "Try this one young Potter."

"It's Potter-Malfoy," Harry corrected him as he took the wand and felt a swirl of warmth hit him and a song only he could hear.

"Hmmm, its very curious Mr Potter-Malfoy that you should have that particular wand, it had a brother wand, very few wands have brothers, but that one does. It's owner got it in 1938, went on to do great but terrible things with it, You-Know-Who was powerful and magic came easily to him, and he did some dark things with his wand. I expect you shall do great things in time. A wonderful and unusual combination of Holly and a Phoenix Feather. I look forward to seeing what you do with such a wand," he said as he then boxed it up.

Harry looked a little shaken by what had been said. Marge saw the look on her sons face and went over to Olivander and said, "There are some things you shouldn't say to a child," she scolded the man.

Olivander blinked a few times, not used to someone telling him off, "I apologise," he said, a little unsure.

"It's all right Mum," Harry said as he smiled to her, reassuring her that he was all right afters Olivanders words.

Marge looked to him and nodded, "Thank you for the wands Mr Olivander," she said as she walked her family out as Tiberius quickly paid.

"Right, I believe it is time for us to go home," Marge said with a sigh, it had been a busy day and she would love nothing more than a cup of tea.

Mattie was once again holding his brothers hand as he looked around the Alley, "Mummy, daddy," he called out, getting their attention, "Can we go and see the animals before we go home, please!" he begged as he looked to his parents.

Marge and Tiberius sighed and then nodded, "Why not, Harry can have a pet when he goes to Hogwarts," Marge smiled as the group headed into the shop.

Harry was looking around as he spotted a beautiful snowy owl, "Well hello, are you beautiful," he said as he stroked the birds chest. The owl puffed up a little and leaned over, preening Harry's hair.

Marge watched her eldest son and went over to him, "She is beautiful isn't she," she said as she looked at the information.

"Yeah," he smiled to her as he gave a little frown. There was something niggling at the back of his mind, and had been since he had walked into the shop.

"What is it?" she asked as she saw the look on Harry's face, she looked to Tiberius and noticed that Hermione was looking a little puzzled as well.

"I want to go over there," he said as he went to another part of the shop.

Hermione joined him and they looked down into a pen, where two different litter of kittens were playing together, "Oh are they gorgeous," she said as she looked to her friend.

Harry nodded and on instincts the reached into the pen and both picked one up. Tiberius watched them and could see what was going on. Dion and Perdita walked over to them, as Marge joined them as well.

"What is it?" Marge asked, a little worried.

"They have a familiar, the kittens are part-Kneazle, and the bond is already in place," Tiberius explained, "no one else would be able to own them, they would be returned time and time again until their true owner comes. Some are never claimed though," he said softly.

Marge and the Granger's listened to more of Tiberius explaining about familiars and their role in a young witch or wizards life and as they grow older. It didn't take long for the kittens to be brought. Marge had taken a liking to the Snowy owl and had brought her as well. It would be a way for them to be able to write to Harry. Draco had ended up buying a hawk owl, loving the one that he had found.

"Well," Marge said as they headed towards the Leaky Cauldron, they were going to be flooing back home instead of the portkey, since it would be a little easier to do it this time, "I wonder what Medusa and Ripper will think about your new pet Harry," she smiled as she looked to her eldest.

Harry's eyes went wide, "I have no idea," he said.

Tiberius laughed as he picked up Mattie and started to send his family through the floo and then through himself, a long day finally over with. Though he dreaded the meeting between Cat and Dog.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the wonderful comments and the kudos, you guys are the best ever. I do hope you have enjoyed this chapter as well!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just having a little fun for a while.
> 
> Well, wedding over and now NaNoWriMo is about to start, be warned, I might not update each week during October and November. I am going to try and do so.

**Shifted Reality**

**Chapter Three**

It was the last week before Harry would be leaving for Hogwarts and Mattie was still unhappy that he would be losing his brother. He may have friends from his school, but it wouldn't be the same. The little boy walked over to Hedwig, their new owl and stroked her chest. He had taken to talking to her most mornings telling her things that he couldn't tell anyone else.

Harry stood in the doorway watching his brother and smiled sadly, "I'm going to miss you as well, but I have to go, I have so much to learn and then in time you'll be going and mum and dad are going to miss you," he told him as he walked over to Mattie.

Mattie looked up and shook his head, "Not the same," he complained.

"It is, you just don't see it yet, but give it a few more years," he chuckled as he ruffled the blond hair, "Uncle Remus will be here soon for our last lesson, I know you're going to be on your own for a bit would you keep an eye on Medusa and Perseus?" he asked him, hoping that giving him a task would take his mind off things.

Mattie giggled, "Are they still fighting?"

Harry laughed and nodded, "Yeah, last night Medusa ate a little of Perseus food, so this morning when Medusa was eating, Perseus decided it would be a good idea to jump on her head, shoving her face into her food and getting her messy," he told him.

Mattie giggled and laughed, "Poor Medusa," he said through them.

Harry laughed as well, "Yep, but they keep doing things towards each other, Perseus usually comes out on top though."

The fire flared and people started to come in for their lessons. They were usually held at Marge's house since it would mean that Mattie wasn't alone. Remus ruffled both boys hair and smiled to them as the fire flared again and again as one by one the children were dropped off. Michelle had come through with her baby girl and Dean and decided to remain with Marge out in the garden for a while.

Luna smiled as she came through the floo with her mother, "Hello," she greeted everyone with a hug.

"Have a good time sweetie, I'm going to be doing a little work while your father takes care of Celestia," she told her daughter as she gave her one last hug before heading through the fire back to her little workshop.

Luna smile and twirled around the room a little, she had been more energetic that usual since her baby sister was born. They walked into the room that Tiberius had set up for them. Luna, Astoria and Mattie went to play with Medusa and Perseus out in the garden since the lesson was for those going to Hogwarts. He wouldn't be able to play with his puppy Dionysus for another two weeks, when he was old enough to be away from his mum and play for a bit.

Remus was going to go over the basics for potions and wand movements. Testing them all to make sure that they would be able to get it right. He went over a little of the Latin again, all of them had learned the basics of the Language, since it would help them to understand the spells that they would be learning.

"Okay, so you have the basic movements that we use, sometimes they change a little for different spells, more powerful ones. But you have what you need for your first year at least," Remus said as he finished his demonstration, "now lets see how each of you practice the swish and flick," he smiled as one by one they stood up and demonstrated. He corrected them a little when it didn't look right, "Well done all of you, you've done well so far today. You have the basic seven wand movements down," he smiled to them all.

"Well, at least we are prepared a little," Harry smiled to his friends, they all nodded in agreement.

"Yes you are, now the other thing that you all need to know about is about Potions, now as you know the wrong move in potions could mean the cauldron will explode on you. There are different methods of preparing ingredients and stirring, and it's important to learn them all. Slice, dice, fine cut, cubes are some of prep methods, while the figure eight, clockwise and counter clockwise are some of the stirring methods," Remus then began as he started to explain the different ways ingredients are prepared and potions mixed. He would be coving a lot over the next two days before the weekend.

It was half way through the lesson when Remus heard the floo go. He didn't pay much attention until he heard a frantic call. He stopped talking and went out to see who it was.

"Xeno, what is it?" Remus asked the man as he saw him standing there by the fireplace, Celestia in his arms crying softly.

"Pandi, she… she…" he began but stopped each time. Marge came into the house as she had heard the call, along with the children all beginning to gather around.

"Daddy?" Luna said as she went over to him a smile on her face.

"Oh Luna, we need to go to St Mungo's, mummy was hurt really badly," Xenophilius finally got out as he looked down to his beautiful daughter.

"Oh god," Marge said as she looked to the man, "How is she?"

Xenophilius looked to them and said, "They don't think she will make it," he then looked to Luna, "We have to go and see mummy."

Luna nodded as her light blue eyes began to fill with tears, "Okay daddy."

"I'll come with you," Marge said, she didn't think it would be a good idea for them to be alone.

"I'm coming too," Harry insisted as he grabbed hold of Luna's hand.

"I'll stay here with the kids and start telling others what is going on, Xeno," Remus began as he looked to the man, "I think Celestia might be better staying here. If you want her there then you can send for her," he said, thinking it might be easier for them to go without the baby, she was only young and he had no doubt that Michelle would be able to cope with two babies for a moment.

"We all want to go," Neville said as he looked to his friend as she clung to Harry's hand as well as her dads.

"No," Marge said as she shook her head, "We'll go and we'll send word all right," she told them all, "now I need you all to be good until your guardians come and get you, I know you want to be there for Luna, but so many are already going."

The children gave a sigh but nodded in agreement. Michelle looked to them and took Celestia from Xeno as she said, "Don't worry, I'll take good care of her."

"Thank you, Pandi already said bye," he choked out.

Moments later they were going through the floo to St Mungo's. Xenophilius led the way to where Pandora was settled. He knocked on the door and walked in. A healer was there to make sure that she would be comfortable. Xeno looked a little hopeful, but the healer shook his head. There was nothing that they could do, the injuries were too much and her magic too low to work with the potions and spells to heal her.

"Mummy," Luna said softly as she walked towards the bed.

"Oh sweetie," Pandora said through a pained smile. Xenophilius went over to the bed and picked Luna up so she could climb on and lie with her mother for a while.

"Please don't," Luna sniffled a little as she moved as close to her mother as she could.

"Sweetie, it's all right, it will be sweetie," Pandora said softly as she wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her gently, "I don't have long, and I know it will never be enough time, but don't forget Luna that I love you with all that I am. You are my eldest daughter and you need to make sure that your baby sister knows that I loved her just as much," she told Luna softly, stroking pale blond hair.

"Mummy," Luna cried softly, clutching her tightly.

"Xeno, I love you, I love you all so much you know," she said smiling softly at her husband and the looking down to her daughter.

Harry stood watching them and shook his head, "not right," he sniffled a little, he liked Pandora a lot, she was funny and playful.

Harry walked over to the bed and looked over the edge to her, "hello Harry," she smiled as she looked to her husband and nodded a little.

Xeno smiled to her through his tears and picked Harry up and placed him on the bed, "There you go."

Harry went over and hugged Pandora gentle as he said, "You can't."

Pandora gave him a sweet smile, "It's all right Harry, I need you to look out for Luna for me, she'll need her best friends around her."

Harry nodded his head and closed his eyes, he needed to find it. He needed to find that wonderful ball of energy he felt the last time he used it. He concentrated hard, he found, that ball that wanted to help, to heal. He took a breath and let it out as he pushed it through his hands towards Pandora. His hands glowed a little as the energy went into Pandora, healing some of the injuries that she had, not needing her magic to work as it had Harry's to feed off of.

Pandora smiled as the warmth from Harry entered her, she could feel some of the pain she was feeling begin to fade, though nothing disappeared fully. Harry sent another pulse of healing energy into her and then stopped, he felt tired as he gave her a little smile, hoping he had done enough to stop her from dying.

The healer was wide eyed as he rushed over to the bed and examined Pandora, "Everyone needs to leave," he said as he sent a charm to call other healers and medi-wizards to him.

People came in as they were all forced out of the room. Xenophilius looked down to Harry and smiled to him as he held Luna in his arms. Harry gave a tired smile back as he fell against his mum. Marge grabbed him and sat down on one of the chairs, pulling him into her lap. He was a little smaller than most eleven year olds and he still fit comfortably on her lap.

"I couldn't let her mum," Harry said as he leaned against her.

Marge looked down to him and smiled a little, "I know you couldn't, you care so much about people Harry."

"You should have the talent trained a little, so you'll be able to control it better and guide it," Xeno said as he looked over to him.

Harry nodded, "uncle Lucius was saying I should do that after my first year at Hogwarts," he told him, he wanted to start learning a little earlier, but Lucius and Tiberius both wanted him to wait until he started practising magic properly.

"That's a good idea," he nodded and then said, "Harry, no matter what, thank you for trying. I know that she still might…" he trailed off and took a deep breath, "but still, thank you."

Harry nodded sadly, "I tried."

Luna reached across the seat that was between them and took hold of Harry's hand, she was still crying a little, scared that she was going to lose her mother. It was a few minutes later that they heard noises from the corridor. Three people were walking towards them. Tiberius walked over to Marge and sat down, looking to Harry and then to his wife.

"Oh Xeno," Narcissa said her voice trembling at the thought of losing a good friend.

"They are trying, Harry," Xeno began as he paused for a second before he carried on, "Harry tried to heal her, tired himself out a little," he finished with a little smile to the young child.

"Right," Tiberius nodded, now understand why Marge had Harry on her lap.

"Have they told you anything?" Lucius asked as he looked around and then sat down, Narcissa sitting next to him.

"No, they kicked us all out about five minutes ago," Xenophilius answered him softly as he held Luna a little tighter.

They went quiet as they waited for news. Occasionally someone else went into the room with vials of potions and other times someone came out and rushed back in. No one had talked to the group as to what was happening at all. It was almost two hours later when someone walked over to the group. It was the healer that had told them to leave the room.

"Mr Lovegood," he said with a nod as Xenophilius stood up, Luna resting on his hip.

"How is she?" Xeno asked, fearing the worst.

"What ever the child did has helped, we were able to stabilise her. Now its just waiting until her magic builds up enough to help the potions work properly. If she stays with us for the next four to five hours then she will make a full recovery," he told them all.

"So she might still…" he trailed off.

The healer nodded, "Yes, but it is looking good for her at the moment, we are going to be monitoring her magic and keep her as stable as we can as her magic rebuilds. We have spells and potions that don't rely on the innate magic within us to work, and we will be using those to keep her stable. I suggest that you go home and rest, as we wish to keep her as calm as we can."

Xenophilius shook his head, "no, I want to remain."

The healer nodded, "Just you Mr Lovegood."

"We'll go back to my home for a while and wait for news Xeno," Narcissa said as she stood up and walked over to him.

"Luna sweetie, go with Aunt Cissa," he said as he handed his daughter over to Narcissa.

Luna clung to Narcissa as the woman said, "Right, we shall all be at Marge's for a while, everyone else is there as well. Contact us as soon as something happens, all right. We shall be here as soon as you say to come."

Xeno nodded and the group left, with Tiberius carrying Harry, since he was too tired to walk. The children were all subdued as they gathered in the living room. The hours went by and as people were about to leave the fire flared and Xeno stepped through. Luna ran to her father and he picked her up hugging her tightly. Each of them waited for him to say something, all fearing the worst.

"She's going to be all right, Narcissa could Luna stay with you for a few nights?" he asked.

Narcissa nodded, "of course."

"I'll have little Celestia here, I've got the baby things all set up for her all ready," Marge said. Xeno nodded his thanks and then said good-bye to be with his wife once more as she began the long recovery. Everyone left Marge's home, their hearts feeling a little light after the good news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the wonderful comments and the kudos, you guys are the best ever. I do hope you have enjoyed this chapter as well!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just having a little fun while I can, I will try and put them back when I am done.
> 
> Sorry for the long wait, my laptop broke in November, I got it fixed in January, but with other things going on, I didn't update. But I am now in a place where I can go back to the weekly updates. As soon as I finish off my room, I decorated it last week.
> 
> Thanks go to Madyamisam for editing, any mistakes that remain are mine!

**Chapter Four**

Luna had spent a lot of time over the last couple of days staying at Malfoy Manor. She hadn't been able to see her mother as much as she wanted to, but knew that it was because she was still recovering. Marge had looked after Celestia, enjoying the time she could spend with the little one. Xeno had stopped by often to tell everyone what had been going on with Pandora. His wife was getting better, though it was a slow process. Xeno had come by earlier that day, telling them that Pandora would be coming home in a few more weeks. Marge had already made a plan for the others to go to the Lovegood house every day to help out. Everyone wanted to help, it has been close and if it wasn't for Harry then she would have died. Harry knew that Luna and Xeno would have been devastated by that.

Marge smiled to Luna as she fed Celestia her bottle. Both children had seen their mother that day, though she could see that Luna was still worried and scared that something would happen to Pandora. Marge started to burp Celestia and said to her eldest son, "Harry, why don't you go and start packing? You only have two days left before you go."

Harry nodded, "Okay, want to come with me Luna?" he asked, his brother Mattie was asleep in his room for the afternoon.

Luna shook her head, the young girl hadn't felt like doing anything for the last few years, "No, I just want to sit here."

Harry nodded, "All right."

The rest of the day had been spent like that. Luna had been with Marge and her sister until Narcissa had come to pick her up just after dinner time. Mattie spent most of his awake time complaining about Harry going away in two days. The younger child had been used to his brother being there and now he wouldn't be.

XxXxX

The last two days went past and news had come through that Pandora would be coming home just before Halloween. Harry walked in front of his parents, his little brother walking as close to him as he could. He grinned as he walked through the barrier and onto platform 9 and three quarters. He was finally going to Hogwarts, the only downside was that he wouldn't be there for Luna, who was with her father visiting her mother along with her sister Celestia.

Marge and Tiberius came through behind him and they went over to the train, going through the crowd of students and parents as they said their goodbyes. Tiberius looked to his sons and smiled proudly at them.

"Right," he said softly as he knelt down in front of Harry, "I am so proud of the young man that you are becoming and I have no doubt that your birth parents would be feeling the same. Just do your very best at school, I know you will. I don't care what house you will be in and even if you and the others end up in different houses, remain friends. Don't let the bigotry of older students take away years of friendship," he advised him. He knew that there would be problems with having friends in other houses, but he hoped that they would be able to ignore that.

"I know dad," Harry grinned back to him.

Tiberius nodded and hugged him tightly, "Right, I'll put your things in a compartment," he said as he let him go and quickly put Harry's things on the train.

"Oh Harry," Marge said as she began to cry a little, tears in her eyes as she gathered him into her arms and held him tightly.

"Mum, it's all right," he said as he held her back, "I love you, dad and Mattie and I'll write as much as I can, I promise at least once a week and I'll write to you tonight as well. Just send Hedwig to me so I can send a letter," he told her, as he pulled back and looked into watery blue eyes.

Mattie then broke down into a wail as he grabbed his brother, almost knocking his mum out of the way, "Don't go Harry, stay at home with me," he just about managed to say through his sobs.

Harry chuckled a little, "Oh Mattie," he hugged his little brother tightly, "It's all right, I'll be coming back at Christmas, don't forget and I have to be here to see our little brother or sister when they come," he assured, "You need to be big brother for a while Mattie, so you have to look after mum," he added softly, looking seriously at his brother.

Mattie sniffed a few times and then nodded his head as he wiped away his tears, "Okay Harry," he nodded, giving one more sniff.

Tiberius came back as he said, "Right, found you a compartment, some of the others are already in there, so go and join love you Harry and you had better write to us and tell us what house you are in."

Harry laughed and nodded his head, "I will dad, love you all," he waved to them and rushed onto the train, carrying Perseus's cat carrier, he would let him out when he reached the compartment.

"Hey Harry," Draco grinned as he was walking down the other end of the carriage to the compartment that some of the others had commandeered.

"Hey Draco," he grinned back as he let Draco enter first and then followed. The compartment had been enlarged a little for them all to fit in, "Hey all!" he greeted with a wave as he sat down and let Perseus out. He quickly jumped and joined Crookshanks on the rack above their head.

"Gran gave me a lunch for us all to share," Neville said as he pointed to the basket that his Grandmother had the elves make for them all.

"Brilliant," Dean grinned as he stood in the door, "Mum was crying her eyes out, didn't want me to go, I'll be glad for a while though," he moaned, "Kendra has decided to do nothing but then starts yelling and screaming when she wants to do something and mum's not letting her," he told them, "I swear I've gone deaf now," he added as he sat down.

"My mum and dad are going on a second honeymoon. They have been married for fourteen years now," Hermione replied with a happy smile.

"I'm surprised you're an only child," Harry mused as he had seen Perdita and Dion look longingly towards Kendra and Celestia, and Mattie when he had been born.

Hermione gave a sad smile, "Mum was in an accident when she was told her that she will have a lot of difficulty in having children and she already had a really hard pregnancy with me. It almost killed her but she got through it and here I am her 'little miracle' as she calls me."

Draco was sitting next to her and pulled her into a hug, "Why doesn't she talk to the healers at St Mungo's, maybe they might be able to help?" he suggested.

"I might write to her and tell her that," she said as she gave a little smile, not sure that St Mungo's would help a Muggle, even if she was the mother of a witch.

"Good, I think you would make a great big sister. You already boss us around," Daphne teased her, Hermione was the oldest out of the seven of them, with Harry being the youngest.

The train gave a small lurch and they are jumped up and went to the window, waving to their parents, Neville's grandmother and Susan's aunt. They had all gathered together and Harry was happy to see that Remus had just arrived and was waving to him as well. He grinned as he waved good bye, seeing his little brother running along the platform as the train pulled out of the station, a few other younger children did the same as they waved to their own older siblings as they left for school.

"Well," Susan said as she sat back down, pushing her red hair out of her eyes, "Here is to our first year at Hogwarts," she grinned, excited about going. Her aunt had been telling her a few things about the school. Much like the parents and guardians of the others had been doing.

"Uncle Remus told me a lot and he gave me this," Harry said as he pulled out an old parchment, "He told me that four of them had been made, one had been taken by Mr Filch when they were in fifth year, he doesn't know what happened to the other two. So he gave me this one, I would have gotten my dad's if he had been alive, and if they knew where it was. So I received Remus' instead," he said as he pulled out his wand from the holster that Amelia Bones had gifted to the group the day before.

"What is it?" Dean asked as he and the others all leaned forwards.

"This," he grinned as he put the tip of his wand against it and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," as soon as the words left him, black ink began to appear and spread out on the parchment. The others looked on in amazement as a map began to appear.

"Is that…?" Draco trailed off looking to Harry.

"A map of Hogwarts. It shows everything and everyone that is in the castle. Remus told me that it will help us find someone, or even help us get to somewhere, so we will never lose our way to lessons," he told them all, grinning from ear to ear.

"That is brilliant!" Dean said as the door to the compartment opened and a redhead walked in. Harry quickly hid the map, not wishing for anyone else to know about it.

"Hi, can I join you? Everywhere else is full," he said a little embarrassed, he looked to them all one by one and then came across Harry, "Wow, are you Harry Potter?" he asked as he saw a small glimpse of the scar.

"It's Harry Potter-Malfoy, why do people always forget that," Harry said a little huffy that no one remembered that he had been adopted by Tiberius as well as Marge.

"Malfoy," the boy said as he pulled a face of disgust at the name, "Why in the hell would you want to be part of that dark family?"

Draco was about to say something when Harry jumped in, "My family isn't dark at all, and I will thank you to remembered that they are that, my family and I love them. I suggest that you leave."

"And I shall add to that, my father was forced into working with had no choice. If my father wanted to keep me and my mother safe from my overbearing and tyrannical grandfather," Draco said, sneering at the redhead that was standing in the open doorway.

"You really need to sort out who you hang around with Harry," the redhead said ignoring what had been said to him, "You don't want people to think that you have gone dark by hanging around the wrong sort," he added.

"Hey Ron, have you seen a spider anywhere around here, we think Lee dropped his near this compartment?" came a voice from behind the red head.

Ron's eyes went wide as he turned around and looked to the twin faces of two more red heads, "What?" he said.

"Come on Feorge, you know it will most likely just fall on someone's head," one of them said.

"You're right on the Gred," said the other one with a grin.

Ron whimpered a little and then dashed away. The two stepped into the compartment and closed the door behind them.

"Sorry about him, he's always been a few beans short of a full box," one of them told them.

"Thank you for getting rid of him, I have no doubt that Harry and Draco would have lost their temper in the end," Hermione said with a smile to the two of them.

"No worries young lady," they said together with a flourishing bow.

"I'm Fred Weasley," one said with a nod of his head.

"I'm George Weasley," the other one then introduced himself.

"I'm Harry Potter-Malfoy," Harry smiled to them with a wave as he went around the cabin to introduce everyone else, "This is Dean Thomas, Susan Bones, Daphne Greengrass, Neville Longbottom, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy."

"Wow," they said as they looked to each other, "How do you all know each other?" Fred asked them all.

"We've had lessons together for the last five or so years," Draco said with a smile, he had heard of the Weasley family, poor but a large family and a happy one.

"Nice," George nodded, "Well, I guess you guys are all good friends then?" he queried.

Harry narrowed his eyes a little at them, but nodded his head, "Yes, and why shouldn't we?"

George and Fred laughed, "There is every reason that you should be friends, and none that you shouldn't. I have no doubt that the lot of you are going to turn Hogwarts on its head," they grinned together, laughing a little more.

"So?" Hermione shrugged, "I'd rather have friends than people that are just like me around all the time, it would be so boring," she said with a put upon sigh.

The others giggled at her, "Oh yes," Fred laughed with them as he looked at the young girl, "You will be turning Hogwarts on its head."

George nodded his head as he looked to his brother, "What fun!" he grinned manically.

"Oh yes, What fun!" the other said as they both laugh in a way that would have sent shivers down the spines of most people.

The group looked at each other and then at the two, "You're welcome to join us here for a bit," Dean suggested, thinking it would be all right to bring them into their little group. Everyone else nodded in agreement.

"We would but we need to go and see Lee, he really has brought a spider to Hogwarts, and we want to see," George grinned as Fred nodded.

"Look forward to seeing what houses you get in, and don't forget," Fred started.

"Fred and George Weasley will be happy to help turn Hogwarts upside down!" they finished with a flourish as they then left the compartment.

The other laughed and then settled down to conversation and lunch as they journey continued. Each of them was still worried about Luna's mother, they vowed to make sure that they would write to her as much as they could, not wishing for her to feel alone with only Astoria and Mattie being able to play. The sky was dark when the warning bell alerted them all that they were approaching Hogsmeade Station. The girls changed in the compartment first and then the boys. All of them were excited and eager to start their schooling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the wonderful comments and kudos, you guys are awesome. I do hope that you have enjoyed this chapter.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, I'm just having a little fun.
> 
> I do hope you will enjoy this chapter.

**Chapter Five**

Harry stepped off the train, followed by the others into a chaotic crowd of students. He looked around and could barely see as he tried to figure out where he would need to go.

"First Years to me!" came a loud booming voice.

Harry grinned as he grabbed Hermione's hand, who grabbed Draco's, each of them grabbed onto another forming a chain as Harry led the way towards the booming voice, "This way guys!" he called out behind him. They were holding each other tightly enough that no one was able to break through them and had to wait until they had gone past, much to the students complaints.

"First years over here!" the voice called loudly once more.

"Hello," Harry said brightly as he came to a stop, the others quickly gathering around him and all looking to the man standing tall before them.

"Hello again," he grinned, "are these all your friends?" he asked as he took in the sight of them all.

Harry nodded, "Yes, I never told you my full name," he said as he added, "I'm Harry Potter Malfoy, this is Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Susan Bones, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas and Daphne Greengrass, they are my friends," he smiled to them and then back to Hagrid.

Hagrid grinned though he said, "I knew you when you were a baby, a lovely little boy, it's nice to see you again Harry and all your friends," he finished as he looked to them all, "I'm Rubeus Hagrid, but just call me Hagrid."

"Hello," came the polite reply from everyone.

"Right, head to the boats and no more than four to each boat, don't want someone to end up in the water, your father did that Neville. He leaned over to get a look at what was in the water and fell in. Had to pull him out," he smiled to the young boy.

Neville smiled to him, thankful for a little information, "Thank you for sharing it with me, my Gran doesn't like to talk about my parents. It hurts her to remember what happened in the past because of how they are now," he said as he looked to him.

Hagrid looked to him, "Then you should come down and see me in my hut and I'll tell you a few stories about him, and I can do that for you too Harry."

Harry nodded, "Thank you, Uncle Remus tells me a lot about my parents and he had talked with Neville about his, but it would be nice to hear other people's stories about them as well."

"Right you are, now off you go," he said as he gestured towards the boats.

They all got in with another boy joining Dean, Daphne and Susan. Hagrid soon had all the first years in their boats and got in one as well. They headed across the lake to get to Hogwarts. They talked quietly between themselves as they then ducked under some hanging plants and Hogwarts came into sight. A feeling of warmth and welcome washed over the students as they saw the majestic castle standing tall against the dark sky. The warm lights from inside causing it to glow like a beacon.

The boats docked and they all got out. Hagrid led the way up some stairs and into Hogwarts, to an antechamber off the Great Hall. Hagrid said his goodbyes as a door opened and a tall, elderly looking woman with a very tight bun and an almost sour look on her face walked into the room.

"All yours Professor McGonagall," Hagrid said as he gave her a wave and then left the room to join the feast.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, I am Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and Head of Gryffindor House," she introduced herself to the new students, "In a moment I will be taking you through to the Great Hall for you to be sorted into your houses. Your house will be like your family, good behaviour earns your house points, bad behaviour takes them away along with detentions," she paused for a moment before she added, "There are four houses here at Hogwarts. They are Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Slytherin," she told them, "I expect you all to do your best during your years at this great School," she looked them all over and the said, "I shall see if they are ready for you now," with that she turned and left the room.

"We all know that he can be trouble and only you can keep him in check Baron," came a soft almost jovial voice as the spirits of Hogwarts began to walk through the wall and into the room.

"He must be dealt with," an almost pompous voice said.

"Oh, new students!" came the jovial voice as he noticed the students, "Welcome to Hogwarts and I hope to see some of you in my house!" he called to them brightly as the door opened and Professor McGonagall walked in.

"They are ready for you now, please follow me," she said as she then led the way into the corridor just before the great hall and then through the large oak doors.

The first years looked around at the large room, noticing the ceiling that had been enchanted. Each of them were in awe at the sight, even those that had grown up in the magical world. McGonagall came to a stop and the first years stopped as well she went up the steps and turned to face them all. The hat seemed to rip and it began to sing a song about the houses. It took a little while for it to finish, most not paying that much attention to what it said but the first years.

"When I call your name, come up and sit on the stool to be sorted," she told them all as she picked up a roll of parchment and said "Abbott, Hannah," she called out the first name.

The nervous young girl went to the front of the group and up the steps and sat on the stool and McGonagall put the hat on her head. The hat was moving on her head, and then it called out, "Hufflepuff!" Hannah looked relieved as the hat was taken from her and she got off the stood and joined the students at the Hufflepuff table.

"Bones, Susan," came the next name on the list.

Susan smiled to her friends as she did the same as Hannah, the hat was on her head for a few moments as it called out, "Hufflepuff!"

"Brilliant Susan!" Harry yelled out clapping his hands as the those in their group did the same, giving a little cheer for the young witch.

"Thanks guys!" she called to them as she went and joined Hufflepuff.

The actions of these first years confused the other students as the sorting continued as normal, with no more cheering. That was until, "Granger, Hermione," was called out by McGonagall.

The hat sat on her head a little longer than the other students until it finally called out, "Ravenclaw!"

"Well done Hermione!" Harry and Draco called out as one clapping happily for their friend, as the others did the same along with Susan at the Hufflepuff table.

Fred and George watched the little group and grinned to one another as they stood and clapped for Hermione as well, "GO HERMIONE!" they yelled out.

Hermione blushed at all the attention and went to the Ravenclaw table.

As soon as it went quiet McGonagall called out, "Greengrass, Daphne," the young blond sat on the stool and in less than a minutes the hat called out, "Slytherin!"

""Go Daphne!" shouted her friends as well as Fred and George as they all clapped and cheered for her.

Daphne gave them a little curtsy as she then went and joined Slytherin. McGonagall just watched with a slightly dazed look on her face. She had never know the amount of cheering that had gone on when someone was sorted before. It was a new experience for her. The sorting carried on and all was quiet with only polite clapping going on by people.

"Longbottom, Neville," she then called out as she noticed that he was standing next to Harry Potter. She watched as the young boy climbed up and sat on the stool. It was almost ten minutes later when it shouted out, "Hufflepuff!"

McGonagall was a little shocked, as she thought Neville would have followed his parents into Gryffindor. She took the hat as once again Harry and the others shouted out, "That's brilliant Neville!" clapping and cheers from his friends and the two red headed twins.

She gave a sigh when she came to the next name on her list, "Malfoy, Draco," the blond walked up the steps with confidence and sat down. She put the hat down on his head, and instead of it taking seconds to decided Slytherin, it remained on his head for almost as long as Neville before it shouted out, "Ravenclaw," Draco grinned and smiled to McGonagall as she took the hat.

"Thank you," he said as he stood up to then hear his name being chanted, "Guys!" he yelled out as he grinned to them.

They laughed and stopped as they finished clapping for him as he went over to the Ravenclaw table and joined with Hermione who hugged him as he sat down across from her.

The names were called and the students began to thin in the group that was waiting to be sorted. Then came a name on her list that she had been waiting for, one she had no doubt that the whole school had waited for, "Potter-Malfoy, Harry," she called out, feeling a little odd saying Malfoy with the Potter name.

Harry walked to the stool and sat down, the hat was placed on his head and the hat went, " _Well, hello there young Potter-Malfoy, let's have a look at you shall we?_ " it said as it hummed a few moments, " _Courage, lots of that, loyalty to your family and friends, ah ambition as well, you want to do all you can. Hmmm,_ " it said softly as he contemplated which house would best suit him, " _So much to chose from, you could do well in all houses you know, but I believe that you would do best there,_ " he said as he then called out, "Ravenclaw!"

Harry grinned as the hat was taken from him and his friends began to chant his name as well as he walked to the Ravenclaw table to be greeted by Hermione and Draco, "Okay guys, enough!" he called out when it didn't look like it was going to stop any time soon.

They went quiet, but were grinning at him as he sat down. They were quiet during a number of students being sorted until they got to the last of their friends to be sorted, "Thomas, Dean," the boy went to the stool and sat down. It didn't take long for the hat to call out, "Gryffindor!"

"Deano!" came the call from his friends as he walked over to the Gryffindor table and then bowed to them all, laughing as he sat down.

The rest of the sorting went quietly, people clapped, but that was it as the last student was sorted into Slytherin. Albus stood up and looked to the students, eyes twinkling merrily as he said, "Welcome all to Hogwarts, the loudest sorting ever I believe," he told them all, smiling to the students that had done so, "I know we are hungry, so I shall not delay you, I just have a few words, Nitwit, blubber, oddment, tweak!" and with those words food appeared on all the table.

Harry smiled in amazement as he looked to the others and they all began to put food on their plates. Hermione was watching them with a critical eye, knowing that they would put nothing but their favourites on their plates if she didn't. She saw that there were no vegetables on their plates so grab some and put a small pile on each of their plates.

"Thank you mummy," Harry and Draco joked with her.

"I care," she snorted and then giggled as she put some on her own plate.

"Hey," said the boy next to him, "I'm Terry Boot, may I ask why you have Malfoy in your last name, aren't you just Harry Potter?" he asked a little rudely.

Harry turned and could see that there were a lot more curious faces nearby that were straining to hear, he gave a sigh as he answered, "I would have thought you might have read it in the paper since it was there. I was adopted by my mum when I was four, almost five. When my mum and dad got married, my dad adopted me. He is a Malfoy there for I have his last name added onto my birth name. Though he was a Fubster before then, his brother disowned him. But as soon as Uncle Lucius was able to get the Malfoy family back on track he accepted Dad back into the family," he told them as he rolled his eyes and began to eat once more.

"Yeah, but the papers still call you Harry Potter, not the other," another boy asked, this one looked to be in the year above.

"Yeah, and do you have any idea how annoying it is to be referred to a name that isn't correct?" he said as he gave them a glare and carried on eating, now ignoring their questions as he talked quietly to Hermione and Draco.

The feast ended and Dumbledore once more stood up to address the students, "Now that we are full and ready for bed, I have a few announcements to make," he began as the students attention was on him, "First, the Forbidden Forest is named that for a reason, please do not enter it, there are dangerous and wild creatures in there that can harm and even kill you," he warned them all, the jovial attitude of the man leaving for a moment. It didn't take long to come back as he then said, "There are a number of items that are forbidden here, there is a list available if you need to refresh your memory, the last thing that I have is that the Third Floor Corridor is now off limits to all students. Those that enter it please be warned that should you do so you will be in grave danger, that could lead to your deaths. Please heed my warning and remain away," he finished as he then added, "Now off to bed you trot, good night students."

With that the prefects stood up and began to lead the first years to their new dorms, where they would be spending most of their time. The Ravenclaw prefects led the way and the stopped at a door. They explained that a riddle would have to be answered for them to be able to enter, if they didn't understand it then they would have to try another one. After that is a password protected door. The prefect answered the riddle and then went to the door and said the password. It wasn't long before all the first years were tucked up in bed, excitedly waiting for their first day at Hogwarts to really begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the brilliant Comments and Kudos, I as so happy that you are enjoyed this one, and I do hope that you have enjoyed this chapter as well.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just messing around while I can.
> 
> Thanks go to Madyamisam for the editing, any mistakes that remain are mine.

**Chapter Six**

Harry, Hermione and Draco walked towards the Great Hall. They had woken up before most of their dorm mates and were ready for the day well before curfew was over at 6:45 that morning. It was to be their first day of lessons, of learning from professors and not just the basics and a little extra from Remus. They entered the hall and smiled as they saw their friends were already up as well. They went over to the Hufflepuff table and sat down with Susan and Neville. Dean and Daphne got up from their tables and went over to them as well, sitting down at the table, the teachers watched them curiously.

"You know, you all need to be at your own tables to get your time tables?" came a friendly voice of an older student.

"We understand that," Draco said as he looked to him, "We just want to talk together for a while. It's so stupid not being about to sit with your friends from different houses. We were friends long before we came here and now we are separated because we have different personalities, that's why we became close friends to begin with," he huffed a little, annoyance in his voice.

"Awww, how cute…" came one voice from behind him.

"The firsties are making a point," another one said.

"Hey Fred, hey George," Harry smiled to them both as he looked from one to the other, getting his greeting right, which shocked the two a little. Not many could tell them apart, even their mother couldn't, "Want to come and join us?" he asked them.

"Don't mind…" one began.

As the other finished, "… if we do," the two of them sat down and ruffled Draco's hair as they sat on either side of him.

"Hey, not the hair," he complained as he glared at the two of them, trying to straighten his hair a little.

The others giggled and laughed as Hermione said, "I'm just glad that we were able to talk you out of using that gel, you would have looked rather idiotic like that," she told him, "it just wasn't you."

Draco smiled to her and nodded, "I felt silly about that, but I wanted to be like my dad and he gelled his hair back when he was in first year. Guess I need to find my own style."

The group all talked about their common rooms. The twins had told them that it was all right for the others to know about them, but they couldn't tell anyone out of their house how to enter, just how to gain attention of those inside. To the group of first years friends, that sounded stupid. They would have no where but the library, where they wouldn't be able to properly talk, and outside. Outside would soon be out of the question as the weather got colder as the year carried on towards Winter.

It was soon time for breakfast to start as more and more students came in. The head of house teachers and the headmaster had already been there, but the other teachers were also coming in as breakfast was served, it would be for two hours for those that woke later on. The friends didn't like the fact that they had to part when they still wanted to talk, and vowed to try and figure out what they could do to be able to sit together and have a place they could go and meet up with each other.

Breakfast was soon over for them and Hermione was almost bouncing in her seat as they were waiting for the time tables to be handed out. She had a planner already out on the desk, wanting to write down everyone's schedule for their little group, and maybe the twins as well. They wanted to know when they would have free time together, since they wouldn't have a full schedule of lessons just yet. They would be able to meet them, and they hoped they might have one during their first day so they could try and figure out a time to meet and place they could go to. Professor Flitwick handed them all out, smiling at the eagerness of his new students.

"Awww," Draco pouted as he looked at his schedule and saw a note at the bottom of it. A number of other first years were doing the same.

One of the older Ravenclaws chuckled, "I hear that every year. Flying lessons have been cancelled the first and second week of the year I take it?" he asked, grinning at the three that were seated near him. He had been tasked with watching over the first years as he was the sixth year prefect.

"Yes," Harry nodded his head as he looked over to the teen and asked, "So why are they?"

He grinned to them "Right, Madam Hooch is the flying teacher here. But this isn't her only job, since she only teaches first years, which means she only works during Quidditch practice, flying lessons and Quidditch matches. Not a lot is it really?" he said with a shrug.

Hermione thought of it and then nodded her head, "Yes she would do something else, so she is working elsewhere during those two weeks then?"

The Ravenclaw shook his head, "No, she works all year, but the first week of September is for her to retake her Referee qualifications, she has to re-qualify every year. Seems a bit excessive, but you have to admit that the rules for the game get modified all the time, someone does some a move that makes the other team protest, then the board out all the reasons to ban the move or allow it. Then it changes the rule book."

Draco frowned at that, "Then what about the second week?"

"The second week she is dealing with the house teams and sorting out their practice times for the year. Their time to hold try outs and things like that. She has to get the captains together and go through it. They have a maximum amount of time and they can even get special permission to do early morning, before curfew ends practises. I know that one captain has asked for 5am practises before. I think it was a Hufflepuff captain from about six years ago, before I came here," he told them all smiling and telling them what he knew, the bell began to ring through the school, "Right, I suggest that you all head to the dorm and get your bags, classes begin in fifteen minutes.

Hermione pouted as she quickly called the others over and began to write down their schedules. Harry and Draco went to the dorm and had one of the other Ravenclaw girls get Hermione's bag for them with the correct books. The others went to their dorm while she was writing things down, leaving their time tables behind for her. With seven minutes to spare she had finished and they had returned to grab their time tables and then headed to their first lessons.

XxXxX

Charms had gone well, and their first study period with the Hufflepuff's ended with the three joined by Neville and Susan deciding to have a look around the castle using Harry's map and to try and find a place that they could use to meet outside of their classes, library and common rooms. They looked around and found a place on the second floor, it wasn't far from the Charms classroom and it was abandoned. The five got to work in tidying it up, using some of the basic charms that Remus had taught them, ones that they wouldn't learn at Hogwarts.

Hermione looked around and grinned, "I can't wait until we can show the others," she grinned as she beamed at the others.

Neville smiled as well as he moved another bookcase into its place, "Yeah, it looks good, a good place to study talk and just be able to be with each other," he said.

The others nodded in agreement as the warning bell began to sound, telling students to pack up and start heading towards their next class, which instead of being an hour long like the last, it would be two hours long like their first lesson of the day.

Hermione then turned to her friends, and grinned wickedly, "I know of a way to get us a table, but I'll have to do it at dinner tonight," she told them all, "One last thing to do, make sure that our familiars can get in as well as owls and no one else. I need to go to the library later," she said as she mused on ideas on keeping the room exclusively to themselves.

The group left and headed to their next lesson; Transfiguration. They walked into the class and sat near each other, instead of splitting into house groups, like the rest of the students had done so when they entered. On the table sat a gray tabby cat. The door closed as the starting bell sounded and the cat jumped from the table and turned into professor McGonagall.

"Wow, an animagus!" Hermione exclaimed, excited.

"That's right, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said with an approving nod, "If you all succeed in Transfiguration, then you too, with enough willpower and a touch of talent will be able to do so as well," she then turned to address the rest of the class as she began her lesson, "I expect you all to work hard in this class, don't and you shall soon be in detention. I will not accept shoddy work from any student, I expect you to work hard in this lesson."

After the small speech, she began to launch into their first lesson on transfiguring one thing to another. She began to hand out a couple of matchsticks to each student as she told them what they would be doing with them. Professor McGonagall was once again stood at the front of her class looking towards her students.

"Yes Miss Abbott?" she asked as the young girl raised her hand.

"Why do we start out with this?" she asked her, a little shy, but to curious to stop.

She smiled at her and replied "Good question, we need to build up the ability to concentrate on bigger things. We need to look at the details. The way to transfigure is to picture what it once was to what you want it to be. The more details you know the more complete the finished object will be. Concentrate on what the object you wish to change into is made of, is it metal, is it wood. What colour and what shape it will be."

The students nodded as most of them wrote down what she was saying. It was a good place to begin with as they all listened to her as she told them the incantation and then the wand movements. They had to circle the object and then jab at it. Telling them how to pronounce the incantation. She showed them how to do it and then encouraged them all to start as well. She walked around watching them all.

The group of friends began, with Hermione getting it first out of all of them. Hermione giggled a little when Harry tried for a fourth time. He sighed and then playfully stuck out his tongue at her as he giggled a little as well. His needle had a bend in the point.

"Looks more like a darning needle than a sowing needle," she said.

"Yeah," he grinned to her, "but it is still a needle of a kind though," he chuckled as Professor McGonagall stopped by their table.

"Well done Miss Granger," she said as she spotted the needle in front of the girl, "Ten points to Ravenclaw for being the first in the class to get it," she said with a little lift of her mouth. She then looked to Harry and said, "Good attempt Mr Potter, but I prefer a sowing needle not darning needle," she smiled a little more as she went to their friends and gave them a few more points to get their needle.

Harry concentrated and tried again, only for it not to have an eye that time. He growled a little as he then calmed himself down and tried again. He grinned when this time he got it. The others in their group came close, and Neville was able to get it as well just before the bell went for them to go to lunch.

XxXxX

The rest of the day went through and soon it was dinner time and they were all in the Great Hall, with them all excited about Hermione and what she was planning on doing. She had told them all that she would have to do something during dinner to let them all be able to sit together during meal times. Food appeared on the tables and Hermione stood up. She went to the head table, the teachers watching her, as not many would do so during dinner, it was more likely during breakfast.

"I have a request about eating arraignments. It is said that I can ask about this but only during the last meal of a day so it can be set up during the next day," she said as she looked to the headmasters.

Dumbledore looked amused and smiled to her, "You are quite correct Miss Granger, and what is it that you are requesting?"

"My friends and I are in all four houses, and we would like a place to eat where we can talk to each other instead of being at our house tables. I don't know if there are any more people that would like to sit with their friends instead of just their housemate friends, but we do," she said as she gave her request and reason for it as it told her that she had to.

"Well reasoned," he told her with a smile, "Tomorrow morning there will be a fifth table in the Great Hall for all those that wish to sit with friends in other houses. If there are many of you that would like to do so, then you may sit at any table and not just the fifth table," he announced to the Hall seeing smiles on some of their faces.

Hermione went back to the Ravenclaw table and sat down, happy with what she had done. The others smiled to her and nodded. Hermione, Harry and Draco only had one more thing to do and that was to go to the library to try and find a way to secure the room they wanted. Though they also had a letter to Luna that they wanted to write and one to Astoria, since the two of them had a year to go. Harry was writing an extra one to his little brother, not wishing for him to feel left out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the wonderful comments and kudos. I am so happy that you are enjoying the next part in the Harsh Reality series. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter as well!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own Harry Potter, just having some fun with them all. I may put them back after.
> 
> Thanks go to Madyamisam for the editing, all remaining mistakes are my own.
> 
> Sorry for not updating yesterday, I had a bad fall. I’m okay, just feeling really bruised and a sprained ankle that won't let me walk.

**Chapter Seven**

Harry and the others gathered at the fifth table as soon as breakfast started, it had become routine for the group. It was Monday again, their third week and today would be their first lesson in flying. Harry had been taught a little by Tiberius and had gone flying when they went to Malfoy Manor. It had been a lot of fun. He loved the feeling of freedom he had when he was up in the air. Hermione he could tell, was nervous about it, as was Neville and Susan. They had all been taught how to fly, but those three were scared of heights.

“Hey firsties!” came a joyful call as two twin third years walked over and sat down, both of them ruffling Draco’s hair again. It had become a habit over the last two weeks and Draco no longer complained but he had taken to carrying a comb with him so he could at least straighten his hair up again.

Hermione giggled a little, though it wasn’t her normal giggle, it was subdued, “Good morning, Fred, good morning George,” she said to the both of them.

“So, looking forward to your flying lesson today?” Fred asked them both, a smile on his face as he looked at the five that would be having the lesson today. The other two would be having them tomorrow.

Harry and Draco grinned to each other, “Yeah!” they said together.

“It’s going to be a…” Harry started to say, his voice excited.

“… lot of fun!” Draco finished off for him, his own voice just as excited as Harry’s.

Fred and George looked at each other and grinned, “We’ve noticed,” George stated.

“That you two have been,” Fred carried on.

“Finishing each other's sentences recently,” They finished together.

“We’re best friends, like brothers,” Draco replied as he looked at Harry and then at the twins.

Harry nodded his head, “We became friends when we were four, we’ll always be friends.”

The twins nodded as they said together, “I think you two might have made a brother bond with each other. Some siblings can be really close and some friends can be just as close that a bond, of sorts, form. It helps them feel and know the other better.”

“Do you have that?” Hermione asked, curious about it, as she made a note to try and find out more.

They shook their heads, “No,” George answered her.

“We do have a high twin bond, which is…” Fred carried on for him.

“… why we can do this, though the brother bond can…” George added softly.

“… sometimes lead to the same thing,” they finished with a smile and a grin.

“I think I will be going to the library and seeing if I can find any books about it,” Hermione announced as she smiled at them and then looked at the others, “Let’s go to our room after dinner so we can do a bit of research on it It should be fascinating,” she added.

Dean rolled his eyes and smiled at her, “Research is fascinating to you and the Ravenclaws Hermione,” he grinned, a light teasing tone in his voice, “but you are right, it does sound a little interesting.”

“We have charms first, with you Daphne,” Draco said as he looked at the blond girl.

“Yes,” she smiled, we’re going to be trying a new charm, the Lumos spell,” charms was her favourite lesson, she loved the professor.

“We have DADA,” Neville groaned.

“Ugh,” Harry agreed with him, “Quirrell is really bad, I can’t understand him half the time and he keeps singling me out at times,” he moaned.

“It’s the smell I don’t like. I like garlic in my food,” Hermione added with a wiggle of her nose at the thought of the smell. “But as an air freshener it leaves something to be desired,” 

The others laughed and nodded. Fred and George smiled at them all, “We have Transfiguration first today,” Fred told them, a smile on his face as he watched the younger students. He had to admit that they were nice kids and worked hard. The fifth table wasn’t getting that much use at the moment, except for the group of first years. Though one or two were beginning to wander over that morning.

“So will Lee be joining us in the room later on?” Neville asked them.

“Don’t know, he doesn’t feel as though he should. Like he doesn’t belong in our little group,” George said with a little shrug.

“Drag him if you have to, the longer he is around us the better it will be for him to get used to us. We don’t bite at all,” Harry smiled at the twins.

The twins looked at each other and grinned, “We will,” rubbing their hands together the bell began to ring, signaling that breakfast was over and there were fifteen minutes before they had to be at their classrooms.

“Right, see you later!” Harry said as he and the others got up to head to the dorm for their bags.

XxXxX

Charms started and the four friends sat together, Daphne had given up sitting with Pansy. Since all the girl went on about was trying to get to Draco, saying that she would be the next Lady Malfoy. Daphne knew that would never happen, the girl just wasn’t smart enough for Draco. Professor Flitwick gave them all a lesson about the Lumos charm, going over the wand movements and the incantation and how to douse the light when it was no longer needed.

Harry put his hand up, wanting to ask a question. Professor Flitwick said and said, “Yes Mr Potter?”

“This light is attached to the wand, is there another charm that will let us use our wand but have the light say, hovering near us?” he asked him.

Professor Flitwick clapped his hand, “Oh, Mr Potter, you have come up with a wonderful question, there isn’t a charm like that at all, we can shoot a light from out wand, send out sparks basically. But no light that will actually remain with us.”

“But that’s silly, shouldn’t there be one,” Hermione frowned.

“I agree, but the subtle movements for the Lumos spell stop it from leaving the wand. I have no doubt if people wanted to they could try and get it to separate, though I don’t know where to begin,” he said with a shake of his head.

“Is there anything we can look at about the crafting of the spell?” Hermione asked a little eager to look at it.

Professor Flitwick smiled at her, “I shall bring in the crafting chart for you, though you won't be able to understand it just yet. You need to know Arithmancy and Ancient Runes to do so. Those two fields of study help us create new spells. Though there are not many Spell Crafters in Britain,” he explained, a sad look entering his eyes for a moment. He then shook his head and carried on with the lesson.

“Okay,” Harry said as the light in the classroom dimmed till it was dark, almost pitch black. There were a few whimpers at that, as some of them were afraid of the dark. Harry looked at the silhouette of his friends as he said, “First one to do it out of us gets the chocolate frog that I have.”

“I’m going to get it first and I won't eat the frog, no sugar,” Hermione said as she grinned to them.

The other three rolled their eyes, Hermione parents didn’t like her eating sweets too often. Harry smiled a little and said, “Once every now and then won't kill your teeth, and you brush and floss twice every single day so there should be no problem when you go home for your check up. Besides, you’re a witch. You can magic away cavities.” he finished.

Hermione sighed and nodded, “Maybe it won't hurt,” she brightened up, she did love chocolate and the chocolate frogs were such a wonderful treat.

“Right,” Draco said as he looked at the other three, “Get set, ready. Go!” he called out.

“Lumos,” Harry said as he let the tip of his wand do a tight circle. He got a little glow as did the others, but no brilliant light as Professor Flitwick had gotten in his demonstration.

Over the next half hour they carried on trying to get the spell right.

“Ha,” came an excited call as one of the four finally got it.

“Daphne won that time,” Harry smiled and laughed.

“Yes, so I get the frog,” she grinned at them. Harry laughed and went into his back and pulled it out and handed it over, “Thanks,” she grinned as he put it away in her own bag.

They laughed and carried on, with Hermione getting it next and then Harry and Draco. They weren’t the only ones that got the spell, most of the class had been able to before the bell rang for them to pack up and head to their next class. Harry was once again excited as it was now time for their flying lesson.

They walked side by side as they joined up with Susan and Neville by the great hall and said bye to Daphne as she had Potions Theory with Dean. The two of them had partnered up in class, much to the protests of both houses. Neither of them were backing down, and Professor Snape had told the class to shut up about it when they got a little too vocal that first lesson. The friends walked outside and headed towards the pitch, where they would be having their lesson.

“Morning all,” Madam Hooch said, “I am Madam Hooch and this is your flying lesson, we will be going over the basics and getting you up in the air for a little bit today. During the lessons over the year you will be learning how to fly, how to manoeuvre, about basic broom maintenance and care. As well as the rules for flying outside of Hogwarts and towards your homes. You will be given a list of spells that you should use when you are out. I expect you to learn them before the end of the year,” she told them all. Her voice was sharp and no nonsense, “There will be a written and practical exam at the end of the year to make sure everything has sunk in.”

“Yes Madam,” most of the class said.

“Good, now grab a broom and line up, two rows facing each other. Now put the broom on the ground beside you,” she instructed.

The class walked to the storage cupboard and grabbed a broom. They went and lined up in two rows facing each other. Harry had Draco on one side and Hermione on the other, Neville and Susan were opposite them smiling and giving a wave. It didn’t take long for them all to be lined up. Madam Hooch stood at the head of it and looked at them all, a smirk on her face.

“Well done, now,” she said as she walked down the middle, “I want you to put you wand hand over the broom and say ‘Up’, say it strong and mean it,” she told them all.

Madam Hooch watched as they began to do so. Harry looked at his broom and put his hand over it and announced clearly, “Up,” the broom shot up and slapped into his hand, “Wicked,” he grinned. He hadn’t been taught this bit. Draco’s broom was quickly in his hand as well. Hermione, Susan and Neville were all having a little trouble. Slowly, but surely the broom came to them.

Madam Hooch smiled as everyone now had a broom in their hands, “Well done,” she told them as she walked back down the middle.

Hermione had her hand in the air, Madam Hooch nodded at her and she asked the teacher, “Why did some of us have trouble getting our broom to come up?”

Madam Hooch grinned a little, “That always happens when the person who is using the broom is afraid of flying. Don’t worry, I won't be making you go too fast. It also lets me know the ones that might have a little trouble with this lesson. It’s why we have it during a whole year instead of only the beginning. We will be spending time getting you to fly well enough that you will be able to do it if you have to and be safe while doing so,” she explained, answered Hermione’s question.

Hermione smiled a little and nodded her head. Draco and Harry glanced at their friends in sympathy and part confusion. They knew that Neville and Susan were a little afraid of heights, especially Neville who had been dropped out of a window when he was seven. His Grandmother had been apocalyptic when she had found out and Uncle Algie hadn’t stepped foot in the house since. But for Hermione there was something else that was bothering her, and she hadn't told them yet.

Hermione could see her friends curiosity and explained herself, “I used to go horse riding when I was younger, I was tossed off. I don’t like to ride anything that doesn’t have a strap that would keep me safe. I’m still scared now. I’ve not been on a horse since.”

“Oh so that’s why you were able to come around sometimes, and then it stopped,” Harry said as he remembered the times when Hermione would be away from them for a day every week.

“Yes,” she smiled.

“Well, you know why I don’t,” Neville grinned.

“I remember that,” Harry said, “Your Gran hexed him so badly he was in St Mungo's for two months to recover. I think if Dad hadn’t stopped her she would have made it for a year. Are they speaking at all yet? I know he hasn’t been back to your home since then,” he asked. His dad had gone with Augusta to go over some old paperwork and they had come across Neville being dangled out the window. Augusta had shouted and Algie had dropped Neville.

“Still not talking, though they have to every now and then. I think she still sends a stinging hex to his bottom every time she sees him,” he grinned.

Harry chuckled as he looked at Susan, wondering if there was a reason for her. Susan saw the look and shook her head, “I just don’t like flying. I had lessons with you, but I just didn’t like it and I don’t really like the height either. Aunt Cissy taught us well, just not the type for acrobatics like you two are.”

They nodded and carried on with their lesson. Soon they were up in the air, Draco and Harry stuck by their friends. Encouraging them and smiling at them. Hermione felt a little safer with them nearby in case she fell. Neville had to admit he felt the same way. Susan could fly, she just didn’t like doing so. Madam Hooch called the lesson to an end and they all came down.

“Well, a successful lesson, not one injury,” she said, sounding impressed.

“Why would you say that?” Susan asked her, frowning and looking a little worried.

“Normally I have one eager student fly off before I say anything, the last time they fell and broke a leg, that was last year. You’re father was the one for his year, Mr Longbottom, he knocked himself out on the stands his first lesson. Yours Mr Potter knocked into a Mr Lupin and the two of them crashed, nothing serious though,” Harry and Neville smiled at the information.

“Thanks for telling us that,” they smiled.

Madam Hooch smiled at the, “Right, head to your next lesson,” she said as she flicked her wand and the brooms were locked away again.

The five friends headed towards their next lesson, which was Transfiguration, each of them talking about what they would be learning next with the strict teacher.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the awesome kudos and comments, you guys are the best. I’m really happy that you have enjoyed the story so far. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter as well!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own Harry Potter, just having some fun with them all. I may put them back after.
> 
> Thanks go to Madyamisam for the editing, all remaining mistakes are my own.
> 
> Sorry for not updating yesterday, family were down for most of the day.

**Chapter Eight**

Harry sat at the fifth table and looked a little annoyed. Though there was a reason for his annoyance and his group of friends knew all about it. It was a Thursday, which meant they had Defence Against the Dark Art with Professor Quirrell, who had, since the moment Harry had walked into his class made Harry the focus of most of his lessons. The stuttering teacher had used him for every single demonstration of a spell. Harry had been tossed around the class more than anything.

“Harry,” Hermione said as she looked at one of her best friends.

“Yeah,” he said as he looked up from his breakfast.

“You really should say something, he isn’t supposed to do this, really,” she reasoned.

“She is right,” Dean said as they all began to stand up, the bell had gone for the end of breakfast.

Harry sighed and nodded, “I don’t want to do anything that would make it seem like I am using who I am to get a teacher in trouble,” he told them, hoping that they would understand that he just didn’t want the focus on him. It was bad enough in lessons when Quirrell would do it, without the whole school doing the same and looked and watching him. They had only just stopped now since he had got there and it was the middle of October, with Halloween fast approaching.

They were soon walking towards the DADA classroom on the third floor. They walked in and Harry took a seat near the middle of the class even though he usually liked being at the front so he wouldn’t miss anything, but with the way Quirrell was, Harry didn’t want to be there.

“Wonder what we are going to be doing this time?” Daphne asked as she took one of the chairs behind the three.

“I don’t know and I don't really care, I learn more from the books that I got than I do from Quirrell if I’m honest,” Harry replied to her just as the door to the office opened and Quirrell walked out. The smell of garlic started to permeate the room once more.

“He… hello class,” he greeted them all with a nervous smile.

Something about that smile just rubbed Harry the wrong way. He didn’t like it. It reminded him a little of the vultures that were around, hiding what they really wanted until they could pounce on you. A number of the journalists that he had encountered had been like that.

Quirrell told them all about the Knockback jinx. Harry just knew that he would be the one that would have to go up and be used for this demonstration. Sure enough Quirrell called out, “Mr Po… Potter please do… come up here,” he stuttered out.

Harry sighed as he got up, knowing that he would have detention if he didn’t, he wanted to protest and ask that someone else be used for the demonstration, but it wasn’t like him to just give in like that and admit defeat. He stood there and waited for Quirrell to tell him what to do. Quirrell explained the curse and what it would do and then he demonstrated.

Harry went across the room thanks to the power that the professor used in the spell. Harry banged his back against the wall and winced a little. He stood up straight and went back to the spot, where once again he went flying backwards. Again his back was hurting as he stood up and Quirrell finally let him go and sit back down. Hermione and Draco were on either side of him, making sure that he was alright.

“You need to make a complaint Harry, this treatment isn’t right. At least he should be letting you go to the hospital wing and getting checked out. That’s gotta hurt.” Hermione said, worry in her voice.

Draco nodded his head, “Yeah, you need to do something Harry, he could really hurt you if this carries on. I know Uncle Tiberius and Aunt Marge will be really angry if something happened to you and I didn’t try and make sure you did something.”

Harry just looked between the two of them, “I know I should and yes it does really hurt. But like I said, if I do and then something is done, some of the students will not be happy because I would have got a teacher in trouble for something when it could have easily been just the way the teacher is,” he told them, not really explaining it well.

“Harry,” Daphne whispered from behind him, “You need to do something, Draco why don’t you get in touch with your dad? Maybe he will be able to help come up with something that you can do to help?” she suggested as she looked from the brunette to the blond.

The two boys looked at each other and then shrugged. “I think I could write to him and ask at least,” Draco said.

Harry just shook his head. He didn’t want to do anything. He just wanted to be able to go to his lessons and get through them without having a painful back at the end of them. He sighed as they spent the rest of the lesson practising the jinx on dummies and not each other. Harry was thankful for that small mercy as he knew he would be even more sore.

Harry was one of the first out of the classroom after the warning bell rang. He rubbed his head a bit and waited for the others. Hermione was a little worried that he had really hurt himself as he kept wincing throughout most of the lesson.

“Are you sure you are alright Harry?” she asked him, concern in her voice and worry in her warm brown eye.

Harry nodded his head, “Yeah, I’m fine. My back is a little sore, but it will be fine for when we have DADA next time,” he tried to joke, but none of his friends laughed. He gave a sigh as he added, “I think the garlic smell in the room gave me a headache that’s all. Come on, we can’t be late we have Professor Snape next,” he then finished as he looked at Hermione and Draco, who had the lesson with him. Daphne had flying class.

“See you at lunch Daphne,” the three chirped as they split up. It wasn’t long before they were joined with Susan and Neville.

They walked into the classroom to see a tonne of writing already on the board. They brought out their things and began to write down as soon as Snape snapped and said, “Copy the board.”

The lesson passed smoothly, with Snape just talking a little of the potion that they would be attempting in the next lesson. He sent them all homework and let them go. The first lesson with him had been interesting, he had quizzed them all verbally and not many got the answers right. Thankfully those that had gone to Remus’s little class had, otherwise they knew that Remus would have been rather disappointed in them.

The rest of the day went by, as did dinner and they were soon heading towards their little room. Harry pulled out his wand and put it in the little grove as he shot a spark into it and said the password, “We are Family.” It was the only thing that they could agree upon, as the group did feel like a family at times. They were always seeing each other and spending time together as a family would do.

Harry walked in and sat down on the sofa that had been brought in by the twins. They had found it in another of the abandoned classrooms and had taken it for them. They were on the lookout for a few more to make the place feel more like a mini common room. Harry looked around and smiled, there was a place where they could study and to just sit have tea and relax as well as a place to play games. Harry had asked his mum to send over a few board games that they could play together and had been sent seven of them so far.

“Right,” Hermione said as she looked at Harry, her hands on her hips as the other began to enter the room as well.

“What is it Hermione?” Harry asked her, wondering why she was looking like that at him.

“Yeah,” Fred said as he walked through the door and saw the young girl.

“What’s got into our resident little genius?” George asked as they went on either side of her.

“Quirrell,” she snapped as she looked between the two.

“What about him?” they asked together as they stood in front of her.

“He has been using Harry to demonstrate the spells that he is telling us about, which has included a few that aren’t on the list that we should be learning this year. When he uses them he sends them at Harry and he is often sent backwards into the wall,” she explained to them what had happened.

Draco looked at Harry as he sheeply added, “Sorry Harry, but they need to know,” he then turned to the others, “He had a bruise from the last class on Tuesday, I think today’s lesson has just added to it as well.”

The twins did not look happy when they were told what was going on. Fred walked over to Harry and knelt down, “May I see?” he asked him softly.

Harry shook his head, “It’s nothing.”

Fred gave a little sigh as he told him, “Harry, you are hurt and it maybe worse that it looks. Even if it’s nothing, I want to see. I learnt a bit of healing magic since George and I have to check each other all the time when we test our pranks on each other.” he told him, explaining how he would know a cuople of medi-wizardry spell.

Harry’s shoulders dropped but he nodded his head and took off his robe. Fred lift the shirt and saw the bruise, wincing a little at how dark it was. It covered a lot of Harry's back. Fred quickly cast his spell as George was rummaging around in the drawer of his little desk.

“Well, it is just a bruise, thankfully, but I have no doubt that it is painful,” Fred said as George came over to him and handed him a tub, “this is a bruise salve. It will heal it, now I know that you want to deal with this on your own. I can tell that much from the way that you have not told anyone and the way that Hermione is being,” he began as George sat down on the sofa next to Harry.

“We want you to come to us if you are in pain again. Just in case it is something more serious, because then we will need to go and see Madam Pomfrey,” George told him, “Now promise us you will come to one of us?”

Harry looked between the two and then nodded, “I will.”

“Good, now I am going to rub this on the bruise and you should be alright in a couple of hours,” Fred said as he then opened the tub and rubbed it on, he saw Harry wince and tried to keep any noise he was making quiet, though Fred heard a couple of the hisses.

The others watched as George turned to them all and said, “That goes for all of you, no matter that you think something might not be serious, something could be wrong and you wouldn’t know it. We’ve actually had Madam Pomfrey teach us a few things, she knows how much trouble we can get into, we hold the first year record for most visits. We were there at least once a week because of the pranks that we used until she taught us some basics, since most of what was wrong with us was something easily taken care of by each other,” he told them all, making sure that he had their attention.

They nodded their heads as they went to the desks or places around the room and sat down, leaving the twins with Harry, Hermione having been dragged away by Draco.

Fred sat beside Harry as he pulled his shirt down and turned the kid around to face him, “you alright now?” he asked him softly. Harry nodded as Fred then gathered him in his arms and held him for a few moments, “good, next time come to us, little brother,” he smiled as he pulled back.

Harry smiled at them and nodded, “alright, big brother.”

The twins smiled at him and ruffled his head as an owl swooped into the room and landed on one of the perches in the room. Harry got up and went over to her, taking the two letters from her.

“Thank you Hedwig,” he smiled as he stoked her and gave her an owl treat.

He looked between the two of them and went to his small desk and sat down. One was the familiar writing of his mum. He smiled as he set it aside and looked at the other one, “It’s a letter from Luna,” he said as he called to the others in the room. They all abandoned what they were doing and went to gather around him, as Luna’s letter was addressed to them all.

_ Hey Everyone _

_ I have some really good news, my mother is now home. She came home this morning and it’s wonderful having her back home. She is still not fully well though, they said it might take at least till the summer before she is fully better. Though they are thinking it might take a little longer. I just hope she does recover properly. I know it's hard for her with Celestria as well as me. I try and help as much as I can. _

_ Auntie Marge and Aunt Cissa come over a lot as well and they help out as much as they can. It so nice to see them. Though I have to admit that I miss you all so much. It’s alright with Astoria and Mattie And sometimes Ginny comes over to play, she’s the girl that lives near me. I didn’t like her brother but he went to Hogwarts this year. He’s mean. _

_ Well, my mother is calling for my help so I need to go and send this with Hedwig, who has just arrived with a letter for you from your mum and now she will have my letter as well. _

_ Missing you all _

_ Luna _

Harry finished reading as they all went and began their own letters back to Luna. Harry took the one from his mother and read through it as well. He felt a little sad that he wasn’t there to feel the baby as they started kicking and to see his little brother learning how to fly. He sighed and began his own letters back home and for Luna as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the awesome kudos and comments, you guys are the best. I’m really happy that you have enjoyed the story so far. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter as well!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t own Harry Potter, just having some fun with them all. I may put them back after.
> 
> Thanks go to Madyamisam for the editing, all remaining mistakes are my own.
> 
> Sorry for not updating, things have been busy over the last couple of weeks.

Chapter Nine

Harry woke up and instead of being excited for the day ahead he was quiet as he got ready. Only his close friends really knew what the day was to him. To everyone else in the dorm there was nothing but excitement for the feast later on that night. Harry just moved around. He would have to go to breakfast at least, but he wanted a little time for himself. Hermione and Draco walked on either side of him as they made their way to the Great Hall.

The group of friends were quiet as they met with the others and settled down for a quiet breakfast. Fred and George had been told by Dean that they would be quiet for a bit of the day. The two understood and said they would do the same, out of respect. Students and some teachers were looking at the subdued group with curiosity, none of them really connecting the data to the group.

“Are you going to…” Hermione trailed off quietly as she got Harry’s attention.

Harry looked at her and nodded, “If I can, I don’t know if I would be able to get out of my lesson so I can do it. Though I would like it if you would all join me as well. I don’t want to do this alone,” he admitted as he glanced at each of his friends in turn. He fell silent again and just pushed his food around on his plate. Normally, he would be with his family going to Godric’s Hollow so he could talk to them. This time he wouldn’t be able to.

Fred looked at him and got up, going around the table he moved Neville aside and sat down beside him and pulled the kid into his arms. It caused whispers to start going around, but the group didn’t care. Harry was sad and missing people that he never really had the chance to know. All he knew was that they loved him and gave their life for him.

George stood up and went to Professor McGonagall at the head table, “Professor,” he questioned as he looked at her.

“Yes, Mr Weasley?” she asked. She had been watching what was going on at the fifth table and was curious like everyone else.

“Harry usually spends a bit of the morning today paying his respects to his parents, since he won't be able to do that, he was hoping he would be able to have the first lesson off. I think he could do with his friends around him as well,” he told her, hoping she would be alright with that.

“What lessons do they have?” she asked him, feeling a pang in her heart as she realised exactly what the day was for Harry Potter.

“They have Charms and DADA, Fred and I would like the lesson off as well, to be there for them,” he added, wondering if the teacher would let the two of them have the lesson.

“Hmm,” she hummed, “You have lesson with me this morning,” she mused as he nodded his head. She looked at the teachers and saw nods from them, “Very well, you may have the first lesson off, do not just goof off Mr Weasley,” she warned him.

George shook his head, “We won't,” he chirped as he went back to the others and sat down, “She will let us all have the first lesson off so we can be with you Harry.”

Harry smiled from where he was still wrapped in Fred’s arms, “Thank you,” he whispered gratefully.

George smiled and nodded as they carried on with breakfast for a little longer  until a small bell went telling them that the mail was going to be delivered.

Hedwig swooped down and landed in front of Harry. He smiled at her and took the letter and small package from her, “Thank you,” he murmured as he gave her a bit of bacon. She took it from him and flew off.

Harry opened the letter and read it.

_ Dear Harry _

_ I know that you will wish to see your parents today and I wish you were. We will be going to pay our respects as we do every year. I’ve sent you something that you can use. It's a small candle, you light it and meditate. _

_ Love Mum and Dad _

Harry smiled and then opened the package, it was a small candle. He pulled it out and saw that it was a nice pure white colour and he knew that it would be bees wax, it was something that they always did. They lit a candle in the window of the house, enchanted so that it wouldn’t tip or set fire to anything and Harry would spend most of the day watching it. He looked at his friends and gave a small smile and held it.

They smiled back at him. The bell rang for the end of breakfast and instead of going to the dorm. Fred let go of Harry and stood up, the others doing the same. Harry led the way out of the Great Hall and outside. He had found a nice little spot in one of the courtyards where they would be able to sit. He knew that it was a little chilly, but it wasn’t too cold that they wouldn't be able to be outside for a while.

Harry lit the candle and put it on the wall. They all sat down, with Fred and George using some spells to keep them all warm. A house elf popped in and with some more chairs for them and they all had somewhere to sit. Harry was a little confused as to who had asked them to do that, but he didn’t care as he went quiet. There was so much that he wanted to tell his parents, but he didn’t feel like he could with everyone there.

Fred could see that Harry wanted to speak and he smiled a little, “Mrs Potter, Mr Potter, I’m one of your son's new friends. He is already like my little brother and me and my twin promise that we will do all that we can to make sure that he stays safe.”

Harry looked a little startled at him, but then smiled, he turned again when he heard George speaking, “That we will. He’s a nice kid and I know you will be proud of how hard he works at school. He is great to know and he is really smart too,” he explained as he wondered what else that he could say.

“He cares so much about us, we wish we had a chance to know you as well. I know that Harry feels the same way,” Draco then joined in.

Dean smiled, “I just hope that we will be as good friends to Harry as Remus was to you,” he then added, “We’ll stand by him, no matter what happens.”

“We’ll always will be there,” Hermione added with a nod as she took hold of Harry’s hand.

“You gave up your lives to save Harry and we can’t thank you enough for that, because of that we got to know him and we have a really great friend,” Daphne added as she looked at him.

“We know he will help us as well and we will help him, we promise,” Neville said, “I know that you were my godmother Mrs Potter, I know that Alice was one of your best friends, I’ve seen pictures of you two together, you were so happy, you were best friends and Harry and I are as well,” he added as he looked at Harry and then to the candle, thinking of what happened to his parents a couple of days after Harry’s were killed.

“Mr and Mrs Potter, thank you for stopping the war. Harry always tells us that it must have been something that you did that stopped Voldemort that night, my parents are up there with you, so I want to say hello mum and dad, I miss you as well,” Susan then said sadly as she then felt arms go around her and George pulled her close.

“It’s alright,” he told her as she gave a little sob. Her parents had been killed a couple of weeks before Harry’s.

Fred then took hold of Harry as he announced, “Uncle Gideon, Uncle Fabian, hi, mum tells us a lot about you all the time and George and I are named for you, we want to tell you that the things you did have inspired us to make sure that people will always be able to laugh, no matter what is going on.”

Harry realised that the war had touched them all in one way or another, “Mum, dad, I miss you guys. I know that Remus tells me a lot about you, but sometimes I just want to know what you sound like, what you were like together at times. See it all with my own eyes. It hurts never to know.” he whispered sadly as he leaned against Fred.

“Then I shall be able to help you with that Mr Potter,” came a voice from behind them all.

The group turned and looked at see Headmaster Dumbledore walk up to them, “Sir,” they all said as they began to stand up.

“Don’t stand,” he smiled at them as he conjured a chair for himself and sat down, “I am able to have some of their friends come and show you some memories of them, I understand that some of you would like to see your family members as well,” he announced as well.

The others looked at them and Harry said, “I would like that, I would like to be able to see them.”

Susan and the twins nodded their heads, Neville then asked, “Will I…” he trailed off, feeling as though he would be fine without since he could still see his parents.

“Of course Mr Longbottom, you parents may be alive, but you still have no idea what they were like,” he nodded at them.

“Thank you sir,” Harry said with a soft smile.

“I use a pensive, but I am able to let the memories be project out of it, I shall have some of their friends come and give some of their best memories,” He explained all.

“Thank you,” they nodded once more as they went back to talking to their families that had been killed during the war.

Dumbledore watched them as he then said, “Thank you to all those that died for us, to keep the next generation safe. There is nothing that we can do but to remember you all and I know that a lot of us could never forget you.”

They sat out there for a little while longer. Dumbledore had left them after a few more minutes. Soon the bell went and they headed towards their next class, or Study Hall. Harry felt a little better now, he was still quiet, as he would be for most of the day, but at least he would be able to go to the feast and not feel guilty for being able to smile and laugh with his friends.

XxXxX

They were half way through the Halloween Feast, smiling and laughing as they talked to each other. Lee and the Gryffindor Quidditch team had joined them. They still hadn’t found a Seeker yet, but Oliver Wood had an idea of who he could get, if they would like to play. The teen was studious most of the time, so it might take a while to convince him.

“Troll!” came a yell as a teacher ran in through the large doors.

They students went silent as the man looked at them all. No one could believe such words, there couldn’t be a Troll nearby.

“There’s a troll in the dungeons,” he yelled out once more as he then said, “I thought you ought to know,” he then fainted where he was. That was what set the students off in their panic. Some screamed and others tried to calm them down.

“QUIET!” Dumbledore shouted from where he stood behind the head table. The students stopped and looked at him, they instantly calmed down as they knew that he would be able to deal with it, “I suggest that the prefects lead everyone back to their dorms.”

“No!” Harry yelled out.

The teachers and students looked surprised at that, “What is it Mr Potter?” Dumbledore asked him.

“If the troll is in the dungeons, then doesn’t that mean that the Slytherins might come across it?” he asked him, trying to get him to think.

Dumbledore smiled at him, “yes, I see you’re point, Ravenclaw’s, I ask that you host the Slytherins for this night, or at least until the danger has passed,” he instructed as he looked at the Ravenclaw table.

The teachers then left as the prefects began to round everyone up. Some of the Ravenclaws didn’t look happy about having the Slytherins with them. Harry was annoyed at the way some of them were acting.

“Look, they are students of Hogwarts just like us, they are part of this great school and we should watch each others back, we should unite in times of trouble. So the Slytherins are coming with us,” Harry yelled at them all as he grabbed Daphne’s arm and pulled her with him, as he followed one of the prefects.

“I think the little firsties has a point,” Marcus Flint said as he gave a grin to him, “Come on all of you,” he called as he looked at a fellow fifth year Ravenclaw prefect.

With that they began to lead them all towards the Ravenclaw rooms. They heard some banging coming from one of the nearby areas. Near where the Slytherins would have had to go had they gone to their dorms. The students flinched as they all had their wands out, ready. Nothing came near them as the seventh year prefect opened the room up. It had become bigger in size so that it would be able to hold everyone.

They walked in and within moments food was on the tables being handed out. Harry settled with his friends in one of the corners as two prefects walked over to him.

“Well done firstie, you did a good thing, we might have had some problems if we had gone to the dorm,” Marcus said as he smiled at him, the other nodding her head.

“Yes, not many would call people out like that, nor would they make sure that we would be safe as well. So thank you,” she smiled at him as she then went back to the scared first years.

Harry smiled and settled back and looked at the window. He hoped that his mother and father would be proud of what he had done, he knew that he might have got in trouble but he didn’t think about that, he just knew that they could be in danger and wanted them all safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the awesome kudos and comments, you guys are the best. I’m really happy that you have enjoyed the story so far. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter as well!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, though I still wish upon a star each night. It's not going to happen.
> 
> Sorry for being away for so long. Near the beginning of last year, I had a health scare and didn't get the all clear until the beginning of November. Taken the last two months to get back into the swing of things. So hope you enjoy this chapter.
> 
> Thanks to Madyamisam who went through this chapter, any remaining mistakes are my own.

Chapter Ten

Harry walked into their little room and sat down at his desk. The others were in the room as well. It was the beginning of November only a day after the Troll and he was wondering what his quarterly report card would be like. He had done his best and he just hoped that he had gotten good grades so far. Harry pulled out some paper and a pen, not wanting to use parchment and quills and began to write a letter back home, well three of them. His friends were all going to be doing the same as well.

_To mum and dad_

_How are you both? Is the baby all right? I miss you all so much. I knew I would, but I really want to be here and I know that I have to be as well. Just sometimes, I wish I was with you, on the sofa talking, reading or watching a bit of TV. Watching over Mattie as he learns something new. I miss being home._

_Thank you so much for sending the candle. I used it. I went outside and spent a bit out there just thinking of Mother and Father. My friends came with me as well and they talked to my parents. I didn't want to at first, because I thought they would just make fun of me, but they did it as well. Then they talked to people that they had lost as well. I forget sometimes that I wasn't the only one that lost someone close to me. My parents were the last and because of something they did he was banished. I know he isn't gone, I just know it._

_Headmaster Dumbledore said he would let me see a few memories of my parents in his pensive, he said that he would do the same for Neville and Susan for their parents. And Fred and George for their Uncles, they lost them in the war as well and their mother doesn't like to talk about them much, it makes her sad._

_So, on something happier. Are you going to tell me if I am going to have a brother or a sister? I want to know mum, you kept it secret when Mattie was born. I wish I was there, I want to feel them as they kick and show us all that they are there. I remember when you were pregnant with Mattie and I felt him move and kick. It was brilliant and so weird but kind of cool at the same time._

_I miss you guys, keep safe and happy and give Mattie an extra hug of a night from me._

_Love Harry_

Harry smiled as he finished the letter and put it away, he pulled out another page and began another shorter letter.

_Hello Mattie_

_Are you being good and helping mum and dad? You best be, you're going to be a big brother don't forget. You need to help and be there and watch over them, it's your job while I am away. I miss reading to you. Are you having some fun as well? And how is Dionysus? He is behaving himself, I know that he will soon be in the house with Medusa and Ripper. Is Medusa behaving as well? I know I asked you to keep an eye on her for me._

_You have fun, take care of mum and dad and watch over them all._

_Love your big brother Harry._

Another letter down. He looked around the room and smiled as he saw that the whole group was there and the twins had been able to drag Lee with them. It was nice to see him there with them. He was starting to come a little hang out with them more, but not as often as the twins were there with them. He pulled out another page and began his last letter. This one was going to be the most important one of them all and needed to go out as soon as possible as he required a little help with something.

_Dear Uncle Remus_

_How are you? How was the last full moon? I hope you are better now. I need your help. Last week the twins played a bit of a trick on me and my friends. I knew it was coming, I just knew it. They are just like you and my dad. They had us singing for about half hour during breakfast in the middle of October, thankfully not many people were around. And yes, I have to admit it was funny. The thing is, I want to prank them back I have a few ideas, but I can't tell which would be the best one to use._

_Idea One - I can turn them a colour and let them be like that all day._

_Idea Two - I can make them do the foxtrot together in the Great Hall and make them do a circuit around the room. (I like this one the most)_

_Idea Three - I can make a potion to turn them into animals, but I think this one might be a little dangerous to use just yet. I don't want to get it wrong and hurt them, so maybe I'll skip this one unless you can send a potion to do it. (Hint hint.)_

_So, which one do you think would be best. Now I'm going to be doing it at the same time and I know that twins think that I have put it behind me. They need to learn not to mess with a Marauder's son and nephew._

_Take care of yourself Uncle Remus, love you loads._

_Harry_

Harry put the letters into separate envelopes and wrote the names on them, he turned around and smiled as he saw that Hedwig was waiting still. She had delivered letters yesterday and had stayed in their room instead of going to the owlery, not that he minded. He went over to her and stroked her chest.

"Hey girl," he smiled at her as he then tied the letters to her leg, "take these to mum and dad, Mattie and Uncle Remus," she bobbed her head, "Thanks," he smiled as she then flew off and out of the window.

Harry watched her go and smiled. "Ack," he felt arms go around his shoulders on either side.

"So little brother, what are you up to?" the twins asked as they looked at him, a gleam in their eyes.

"Nothing much, just sending letters home meant to have done it last night but with the Troll, wasn't like we could come here and write in peace without someone wanting to know what I am doing," he replied with a shrug. He had learned not to write letters home in the common room or in any place that people outside of his friends were. They were all nosy and wanted to know what he was sending all the time.

Fred nodded his head, "Yeah, it was a bit of a pain, wish we could have all come here."

"I heard that they found it wandering higher than the dungeons late last night," George mused.

"I know I heard something when we were going towards the Ravenclaw dorms," Harry added.

They nodded and left Harry be, as Lee called them over to get started on some homework. Harry smiled and went to his desk to do the same as Perseus came through the little door for him and Crookshanks jumped on the desk, looking smug. Harry gave him a fond stroke and started on his homework.

XxXxX

It was two days later when Harry received letters back from everyone. He put them away till he could read them in peace, people were watching him all the time. It was annoying, but he dealt with it like dad and Uncle Lucius had taught him. Uncle Lucius would be teaching Draco and himself to manage an estate, he had the Potter estate to look after when he came of age and during the summer he would be taught the beginnings of it.

The day seemed to drag on as he wanted to read his letters. Finally dinner ended and Harry ran off before the others and headed to their room. He went in and sat down on the second sofa that had been found and curled up as Perseus came to him and jumped on his lap.

"So what has you so smug?" Harry asked him.

" _ **Just teaching a rat that they shouldn't lie**_ ," he purred and settled down on Harry and curled up.

Harry shook his head, "Leave the rat alone, I don't want to get in trouble," he groaned.

Perseus just ignored it as he carried on lying there. Harry shook his head at him and opened the first letter.

_Dear Harry_

_A Troll! A Troll! What the hell was a troll doing in Hogwarts, your dad and Remus explained about them to me and showed me a picture as well. Nothing else better get in that school or I swear I will find a way to teach you at home. I want you safe and sound not surrounded by danger._

_It's good that your friends were with you and I am going to try and see if you would be able to come home next year. I know that you will want to go as soon as you come home for Christmas break. So Tiberius and I plan to take you. It was nice of Albus to offer, Tiberius is searching for one as well, has been for a while, but Penisives are a bit rare. There are not many that still make them, but he is looking._

_I am not telling you what you are having, it will make a nice surprise for when it happens. Now you be good, try and behave in school. I will see you soon and don't forget to write back. I look forward to your letters all the time and I still have the others that you have wrote to us._

_Love mum and dad_

Harry smiled and then shook his head, "Why won't you tell me, you just like to torture me," he mumbled to himself when he saw that his mum wouldn't be telling him if he was having a baby brother or baby sister. He looked at the next letter, he knew that it was from Mattie because of the bad writing, but then he was only just beginning to learn properly.

_Harry_

_I miss you too and I am taking care of mummy. Her tummy feels weird when the baby kicks. Did I do that? It's okay here, Luna and Astoria come around a lot and we go to Luna's too. Luna's mummy is getting better as well, though she is tired a lot. I'll make sure that to take care of them and I'm going to be a brilliant big brother just like you are. I miss you Harry, I want you to come home._

_Mattie_

Harry gave a chuckle as he read Mattie's letter, he never wrote a long letter, but he knew that he was still only just learning and was having a hard time. He had to admit that he missed Mattie, he would be five soon and he wouldn't be there for it. He would miss a party, but he knew that Mattie just wanted him home. He wondered if he would be able to make something for Mattie's birthday.

He grinned as he took out the last letter.

_Dear mini Marauder_

_Well, it seems like you are following the path just that little bit earlier than us. We didn't start pranking until after Christmas our first year. But no matter, as for your ideas, I agree that your third one isn't one that you should be doing until you know Potions well enough. Anything can go wrong with them._

_I think in the end maybe you should do a mix of one and two. Have them change colour and dance around the Great Hall. Make them know not to mess with a Marauder, even a son of one. Always start with the smaller things when you prank, if they prank you back after this one, then I'll think of a few things that you can do._

_You be careful and try not to get into trouble. I know it will happen, but please don't tell your mum that I helped, she'll skin me._

_Love Uncle Remus_

Harry giggled as the door opened and the others began to walk in. He would have to make sure he had the spells down to use. He had been practising them, so it shouldn't be too hard in the end.

XxXxX

It was time, it had been three days since he had received the letter from Remus. He had asked Neville to let him practice with him and it had worked each time. Now it was time to put it into action. They were at breakfast and the twins were coming over to join them at the fifth table. Neville hid him from view of everyone as did Draco who was sat on his other side and he sent the two spells at them both. He grinned when they hit.

Fred and George changed colour to a lime green and a neon pink as they took hold of each other and to music they could only hear, they began to dance around the room, doing a version of a waltz that was sure to leave them aching afterwards. The group smiled and began to laugh as the students that were there began to laugh at the two as well. They were known pranksters and most had been their victims at times. They finally finished a circuit of the room and ended up in front of the head table.

They looked tired but were laughing themselves as they then took a bow and went to the fifth table sitting across from Harry, "We know that was you," they said as one, eyes gleaming.

Harry grinned to them as he leaned forwards, "Never mess with a son of a Marauder," he told them.

Their eyes went wide as Fred said, "Marauder?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, I'm the son of Prongs, my father was a prankster when he came to Hogwarts," he told them, smiling.

"Oh wow," they said in awe as they looked at each other, "We have a map, a Marauders map."

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," Harry announced, with a frown.

"Mischief managed," Fred and George grinned, "We pinched it from Filches office in our first year," Fred said as he looked at his brother.

"Yep, has helped us more than anything," George smiled.

"Remus gave me his, the one you have belonged to my dad, it got taken from him when he was in his last year," Harry said softly, "They made four of them, he doesn't know what happened to the others."

"You know a marauder, can we meet them?" they asked.

Harry laughed and nodded, "Christmas maybe," he smiled as the others did the same.

Fred and George were distracted for the rest of the day as they finished breakfast and headed to their classes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the wonderful comments and kudos, I do hope that you have enjoyed this chapter as well.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just messing around with them all before I am ordered to put them back.
> 
> All mistakes are my own.

Chapter Eleven

Harry, Hermione, Fred and George walked through the corridors, not really paying any attention to where they were going. They just wanted to go out and walk around. Harry and Hermione were interested in exploring more of the Castle and Fred and George was more than happy to show them around. Even with the Marauders Map, it was nice just to see it instead of just looked at a map of the areas.

"So I heard you have a new Seeker?" Harry asked them, he was fascinated by Quidditch, even though Hermione wasn't keen on flying she was beginning to enjoy watching the game.

"Yeah, unbelievable is the word I use. Didn't know he had been on the team for a while when Charlie had been hurt for a couple of weeks," Fred said as he shook his head.

"So are you going to tell us who it is or not?" Harry told them once more, giving snort.

"It's Perfect Prefect Percy," George answered.

"It's so weird," Fred added, "He was always saying that it was a waste of time."

"And then Oliver convinces him to try out and he does and gets the bloody spot," George took over, shaking his head again, he still couldn't believe it.

"Maybe he does that because he knows that you would tease him," Hermione said as she looked at the two of them.

The twins looked at one another and then nodded, "I suppose you might be right on that Hermione, we do tease him a bit, he's just so stuffy at times and a stickler for the rules," Fred said with a sigh.

"He does that because he wants to do something with his life that might mean he has to follow the rules. If he doesn't then it could be hard for him to get it," Hermione wondered as she looked at the two of them.

George gave a chuckle, "Yeah, you might be right on that one."

"Is he any good?" Harry asked them, curiously.

George nodded, "He is surprisingly good, I think he might be that bit better than Charlie, though you didn't hear that from me," he gave them both a funny look.

Harry laughed and shook his head, "I can't wait till next year," he said, grinning widely.

"Why?" George asked him as they got to some stairs in the grand staircase.

"Well, I want to try out next year, I love Quidditch, Draco and I practiced a lot when we are at the Manor and I really hope I might be able to get it. I've practiced for seeker and chaser, though I like seeker better. Draco prefers Chaser," he told them all with a smile.

"Wow, we should get you round the Burrow sometime to play with us, maybe we can get two mini teams together to play, should be fun," Fred said as he looked at his brother.

George nodded in agreement, "yeah, it would be nice to have someone outside of the family to play, while it's nice to, it's getting old, it's the same people all the time, even when we change up the teams."

"That's the problem that Draco and I have, though sometimes we can get Dean to join us, he's pretty good, loves flying," Harry said.

The twins grinned at that, "Ah we have another potential player in our midst," they said as they rubbed their hands together.

"What position does he play for you?" George asked them.

"Mainly keeper but he also takes chaser sometimes and beater. He's good in all except Seeker," Harry answered them smiling, "I know Dean would like to try out," he added.

The twins shared another look as Fred said, "Well, we should tell Ollie that we…"

"… Might have someone that can replace a player if someone is taken out next year." George finished without missing a beat.

"I still think it is awesome when you do that," Harry grinned to them, "Draco and I are doing it more now," he finished.

"Yeah, that's good," Fred said as he smiled at Hermione, "You've gone quiet little lady," he told her softly.

"I was just thinking, everyone might be playing Quidditch and I will be watching, I…" she trailed off, not really knowing what she wanted.

"You want to be involved in a way," Harry said, as she nodded.

"Yes I do, I don't want to be left behind," she told him.

"I know and you won't don't forget that Neville and Susan don't like flying either," he reminded her.

"Hey, how about when we have a weekend free we get some of the first years together and play a pickup game," Fred said as he looked at his brother.

"I think doing that might help in coming years as well, as it will help the teams find potential players in the first years. We can start training them then, even if they can't play yet," Gorge grinned.

"I can do that, I can organize it," Hermione said, her eyes bright as she began to make plans in her mind.

Harry laughed at her enthusiasm, "Great, we'll be able to play, even if they aren't proper games. We should talk to Madam Hooch about it," he suggested.

Hermione nodded and pulled out a pocket-sized notebook and pen and began to jot everything down. She paused for a moment and then said, "It would mean that the houses will have to work together because there might not be enough people who want to play in one house," she looked at them for a moment and then back to her notebook.

"It's just like we said on the train, you guys are going to turn Hogwarts on its head and we are more than fine with helping you out in that," Fred laughed as George joined in as they began to walk up the stairs instead of standing at the bottom of them.

Hermione nodded her head, "all right then, we should get this done soon. I want to talk to Madam Hooch today sometime, it is a Saturday so we might be able to see her after practice."

"Yeah, she has the Hufflepuff's until at least four today," Fred said as he thought over the schedule that Oliver had shown them.

"So we should be able to ask her then," Hermione nodded, "all right I have a basic plan written down," she told them smiling as she carried on up the stairs.

The others followed as they suddenly grabbed onto the banisters as the stairs moved suddenly, "They're not supposed to do that," Fred said as he looked around, worried.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked him.

"They are spelled to remain still when someone is on them, as soon as someone gets off and they want to move there put a shield around the top and bottom and move. One of the old headmasters's made it like that since a first-year student died when the stairs moved unexpectedly," Fred explained to her.

"Oh, they why would they move when we are on it?" Hermione asked as she looked around, keeping a tight hold of the stone banister.

"I don't know, someone might have tampered with the magic, it is a really old spell that was used. It might need to be recast. We need to get off and report it, I wonder if it has already happened before today. I've not noticed," George said as he looked around and down, he could see other students on other stair cases looking around worried as they were all moving.

"Everyone remain where you are as soon as they stop moving you get off them, refrain from using the grand staircase, for now, there are other ways to get to places around the castle, I will be reporting this to the headmaster as soon as I can, please spread the word," came a voice from above them.

Fred twisted and saw Percy above them, he too looked worried and there was some fear there as well. He was with another first year and was reassuring him that things were fine. The stairs finally came to a stop and they rushed off, not wanting to be on them again if they moved.

"Right, we need to find out way out," Fred said as he saw that there was only the one door that they could go through.

"Erm," Hermione said as she looked around as they walked inside, "I don't think we should be here," she told them.

Fred and George looked around and nodded their heads, "You might be right on that one," they said.

"I think this might just be the third-floor corridor," Harry said as he wished he had brought his map with him to help them get out of there.

Fred looked at either end of the corridor, there was a door at each end, "Which way?" he asked.

"I don't know, haven't got the map," George said, as he glanced at Harry.

"I haven't either," he said softly.

"Damn, well, let's go with the right," George said as they began to head down there.

They all nodded and began to walk down the hallway and towards the door. They heard a noise behind them and they looked behind them.

"Damn, Mrs Norris," George cursed, "Fuck, if we get caught we'll no doubt get a bloody howler from mum," he said, they had already had a letter sent home from the beginning of the year, they had managed to blow off a toilet seat, but they had been caught trying to send it to their little sister.

Hermione shook her head, "Right," she said as she moved to the door and tried to open it.

"Something in there Mrs. Norris?" came a grumpy and rough voice from outside the door at the other end of the corridor.

"Screw this," Hermione said as she pulled out her wand and said, "alohomora," with that the door clicked and she pulled it open.

All of them piled into the room and Hermione relocked it for a moment. They could hear Filch moving around and sighed in relief when he finally left. Hermione smiled as she looked towards Harry and then noticed that the twins were facing them at all but something that was in the room.

"Erm, we need to get going," Fred said quietly as he tried not to disturb the giant three-headed dog that was in the room with them.

Hermione nodded and started to say the spell to unlock the door again as the dog began to move. Fred and George pulled out their wands and aimed at the dog.

"Just get the door open Hermione," George said, his voice strangely calm as he and Fred started to shoot spells at it. Harry brought out his own and started shouting his own as the dog tried to get closer to them.

It took a few seconds for Hermione to gather her wits and unlocked the door. She got out of the room, and then pulled them all out backward so they could keep firing until they were out of the room. Fred and George quickly slammed the door shut.

"Well fuck that," Fred and George said as they leaned against the door.

"I think we should have gone left," Harry tried to joke as he heart pounded in his chest.

"Nice time to say that now Harry James," Hermione said to him, her eyes flashing, "Right, I think we need to get out of her and do so quickly," she told them all.

"Yes Ma'am," they said as they bowed to her and marched towards the other end.

Hermione sighed and shook her head "boys."

"Let's head to our room, they others should be there and we can tell them what we have found," Harry said as they walked out of the corridor and headed towards the rest of the school.

The others nodded and they headed towards their room. Part way there they heard a school-wide announcement.

" _Can all students refrain from using the grand staircase until further notice. Alternate routes are available and if you are unsure older students will help._ " It was the headmaster's voice.

"Not heard a school-wide announcement before," Fred said as he led the way towards their room. It didn't take long to get there.

Harry went in first and smiled as he saw all the others, "hey," he said as he went over to another new sofa that was brought in, the place was looking more and more like a proper common room. Though there was a new door in the place, which had been converted into a lab for them to work on potions.

"Did you hear that the stairs have started to move when they shouldn't?" Daphne asked them.

"Yeah we have since we were on them when they did," Harry said with a snort.

"Oh, where did you end up?" Dean asked them all.

"Third-floor corridor and we know what's there that could be life threatening," he said.

"Yeah, a three-headed dog, a Cerberus," Fred said with a snorted.

"Though I wonder why one was here, they are really good guard dogs, so why would one be in the school," George couldn't help put puzzle as he went over to one of the sofas and sat down as everyone did the same.

Hermione looked at them all and shook her head, "Well it was obviously guarding something as it was standing on a trap door. Something is down there," she rolled her eyes at them not seeing the obvious.

Harry looked at her and smiled, "Well good someone was looking around then," he told her and then said, "I wonder what it is guarding."

"I don't know and to be honest I am not keen to find out, I would rather not be bit in half," Hermione said with a roll of her eyes.

"All right, from now on every little excursion we have, we have to make sure that Hermione is nowhere near a three-headed dog," Harry teased.

Hermione narrowed her eyes as she pulled out her wand and sent a mild stinging hex at him. Harry gave a yelp and rubbed his arm where it had landed, "serves you right, I'm not against having an adventure Harry, I just want to make sure that we'll be in one piece afterward."

"I know," he grinned at her.

They sat around and talked for a while longer, Hermione telling them about the plan for a first year Quidditch games. They were all on board with it and they all wanted to talk to madam hooch as soon as they could about it. When it was almost four they head out, avoiding the grand staircase and going down to the pitch. They all hoped that she would listen to them. It was a good idea and they could see it might be popular for them all to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the brilliant comments and kudos. Glad you are enjoying this so far. I do hope you liked this chapter as well.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just having a little fun.
> 
> All mistakes are my own.

Chapter Twelve

Harry and the others were all gathered in one of the two mixed house areas in the Quidditch stands. Not everyone wanted to be separated into their houses. Hagrid quickly joined them, it was Gryffindor versus the first match of the season, and one of only two games that would be played before the Christmas Holiday's. Harry had decided he was going to be cheering on Gryffindor, since Fred and George were going to be playing. Neville and Susan were going to be cheering for both of them. Daphne didn't know if she should cheer for Gryffindor or not.

"Welcome to the first game of the season ladies and gentlemen," came the strong voice of Lee as he announced the match, he went through each of the players on both teams as they flew onto the pitch.

"You know," Daphne said as she smiled at them, "I don't care how much the rest of Slytherin house protests, I'm going to cheer for Fred and George," she told them.

Harry laughed, "Some of them are idiots, but not as bad as they could be."

Daphne nodded, "after what you did at Halloween, and in suggesting that we go to the Ravenclaw Dorms and not our own. They have mellowed in the way they think of you," she added softly.

"Well, that's a good thing," Hermione said from behind the two of them.

They nodded turning their heads back to the game as they saw Katie Bell score. They cheered as Gryffindor were stole the quaffle a minute later. Harry and the other first years had a chance to play a game a week ago. Hermione and Madam Hooch had organised it, with Madam Hooch leaving it to Hermione to get people interested. There had been a lot of interest in the end. There were enough first years that wanted to play for three teams in the end and they were going to be holding a small tournaments after the new year, so they would all have a chance to play. They had a practice game or two over the last week with the house teams watching.

"And that was a good save by Gryffindor Keeper Oliver Wood," Lee's said into the microphone.

They watched as Fred and George had to protect their brother from the bludgers that were sent his way a number of times.

Harry and the others laughed as they heard one of them say, "Leave our brother alone!"

People started screaming as Percy and Hufflepuff Seeker, Cedric Diggory both started to head to the same place on the pitch and then dive. Harry was jumping up and down, cheering by the railing as he felt something jerk in his stomach as he began to be pulled over the side. Harry's eyes widened trying to grab onto something.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled as she grabbed the back of his robe and held on as tightly as she could.

"What's going on?" Hagrid asked as he looked at Harry and then reached forwards trying to pull him back.

"Something's pulling me over," Harry panicked trying to grip onto something feeling it pull at him again and he went further over the railing.

"What there is no one…" Hermione trailed off as she began to look around the stands as the others all joined in, each of them taking hold of part of Harry's robe.

No one else could see what was going on as they were all concentrating on the match and Percy and Cedric's dive for the snitch. There was a loud cheer up in the stands as Harry went further over. Hagrid and the others trying with all their might as they tried to keep hold of him. But they all knew that Harry would go over soon, they were beginning to lose their grip and whatever magic was being used was powerful.

Fred and George cheered as they looked from their brother as Percy had caught the Snitch, much to Percy's own surprise. The twins looked at the stands where Harry and the others were and smiled, but it soon fell as they say Harry hanging over the edge. They watched in horror as their friends began to lose their grip on him.

"Harry!" they yelled.

Percy looked from his brother, curious as to why they yelled. He looked around and his eyes went wide as he shot off on his broom. They twins trailing behind him. Percy was almost there as they finally lost their grip on Harry and yelled out, the rest of the students now watching as Harry began to fall.

Percy changed direction and started to dive towards Harry. A good few meters from the ground he was able to grab hold of him, the weight throwing him off. But the teen was able to keep his grip and balance enough to turn them away from the stands. He headed towards the pitch, still diving and not being able to pull up with the extra weight. Harry grabbed hold of Percy, as they plowed into the ground. Both boys looked dazed at each for a second before they both blacked out. Their names being called by friends and family.

XxXxX

Harry blinked a few times as he began to wake up. His body ached a little, but it wasn't in as much pain as he thought he would be in after plowing into the ground like that. He turned his head a little and could see his friends around him and another bed. He looked over and could see Percy in the bed. He was also beginning to wake up.

"Good," Madam Pomfrey said as she walked over to them and cast a few spells to make sure that they were both all right.

"Everything well Madam Pomfrey?" Percy asked her as he began to sit up only to groan a little and lie back down.

"Mostly, you will remain in here over night at least. Both of you have had several broken bones from the fall. You were both luck as far as I am concerned," she told them as she then handed them each a potion.

Harry and Percy shared a commiserating look before gulping it down. Gagging when they had finished, "Wish they would taste better," Harry mumbled.

"Agree with you on that," Percy nodded.

Harry smiled as the pain he was feeling slowly faded away, he looked over to Percy once more and said softly, "Thank you, for saving me."

Percy smiled as he told him, "Welcome, did what I could. Wish I had been able to pull us both out of that dive and saved us the visit to the infirmary," he said with a shake of his head.

"Someone was using a spell of some kind that was pulling me to the ground, I don't think you would have been able to because of that," Harry told him.

"I just wish I knew who it was," Daphne said, a growl in her voice thinking of the danger that her friend had been in.

"Well, you have now seen them, I suggest that you all leave so that they can both rest," Madam Pomfrey said as she looked at her two patients and to their friends.

"It would be all right if they stayed at least until dinner, we shall have something to eat then and then we shall rest," Percy said, keeping his voice hopeful and almost pleading as he sent a sorrowful looked at her.

Madam sighed and then nodded her head, "Fine, but no excitement," she told them all as she left them all be.

Fred and George looked at their older brother, impressed with his manipulation of Madam Pomfrey, "How did you do that?" they asked him.

Percy gave a smirk, "Get yourself known as a goodie goodie and people will believe whatever you say, even the teachers."

"Who do you think pranked the school in your first year," Oliver chuckled as he looked from Percy to the twins.

"The conga line of food was Percy!?" they exclaimed, looking to him in a new light.

"Yeah, it was," he smiled at his brothers, "No one ever looks to me because I follow the rules, so when I do something, no one will believe me when I say it's me. They think I'm just wanting to protect someone or just want the punishment to happen so that I can get back to studying," he told them, a subtle smirk on his face.

Harry and the others were laughing as they listen, "Wow," Neville grinned at him, "Not bad, I thought the twins had it all and maybe Mooney," he added.

"Ah, one of the Marauders," Percy nodded, "I heard a lot about them when I first came, they left before Bill started at Hogwarts. But tales of what they did are still around if you know who to ask. Just never say anything about them when Professor Snape is around, rumor has it that he went to school with them."

Harry nodded, "he did," he confirmed.

They talked for a while longer until dinnertime and then the group had to leave. Percy and Harry ate their dinner, quietly talking to each other.

"Thank you, though," Harry said once more looking at the older teen.

Percy smiled at him, "I think if I hadn't the twins would have flayed me alive. They are really fond of you," he paused for a moment adding, "not only that but I think you have been a good influence on them. I've noticed that they study a lot more, though I know a lot of it is to do with pranks, but…" he trailed off.

"They helped me, they are like big brothers to me and the others. Quirrell was picking on me, still is occasionally as well, but he did it enough that I ended up with bruises on my back. They took care of them and made sure that I hadn't damaged anything else. Madam Pomfrey taught them a few things," Harry told him softly.

"Ah, I wondered why there hadn't come here as much as they had done in their first year," Percy told them smiling.

Harry smiled and they finished eating. Madam Pomfrey came over to them, checked them over again before they settled down into their beds. Both of them drifted off to sleep easily, since they were both recovering from their injuries.

XxXxX

Hermione was pacing back and forth in the room as she tried to go over what had happened during the match. She was annoyed, no one would tell her anything, well the teachers. She had said that it didn't feel like an accident, that it was done on purpose. They had ignored her, and she growled just thinking about it. Fred and George watched her in fascination, they had never seen her like this before. The others had at one point or another.

"Hermione I know you want to make them listen. But you know what a lot of adults are like when a child tells them something," Neville said, daring to say something to try and calm the witch down as her magic was beginning to crackle around her.

Hermione turned to him as she bit out, "They are all idiots!"

Draco smiled a little and shook his head, "I know, but at the moment we don't have any proof of any kind," he told her, trying to calm her down.

She flopped down on of the sofas as she went over what happened, "Harry was cheering, and then he started to go forwards as though someone had gripped the front of his robe and was pulling him towards the railing," she began, "he then went forwards more as the spell took hold of him and gained strength. When we grabbed him I could feel the magic, we were going to be pulled as well. But then it was as though there was another spell that was trying to help us a little, but it wasn't strong enough. Harry was ripped from us as we were all pushed back," she finished as she looked at them in turn.

Daphne nodded her head, "It did feel like someone had shoved me hard in the chest when we lost our grip on Harry," she said as she went and sat down next to Hermione.

The others began to sit down as well, "Think it might be a jinx of some kind, they can be really powerful," Fred suggested looking at the others.

"Yes, I do," Hermione said she had been reading a lot about them over the last couple of weeks.

"Right, so we know what caused it. Now, all we need to figure out is the who," George said looking at the group, "Now, can any of you remember someone looking towards you before Harry started to go over?" he asked them all, hoping to jog their memories a bit.

Dean shook his head, "No I was concentrating on Percy and Diggory," he told him.

"Any of you?" Fred then asked the others.

"No, I don't remember anything but Harry just about to go over," Susan said, her voice was a little shaky as she recalled the panic she felt when Harry had started to fall.

Neville smiled at her and then looked at the twins, "I know there is something in my memory, I just can't see it. I know there were a number of people looking, but that was mainly because of us all cheering everyone on, and not just one team," he told them.

"Okay," George said a little disappointed that they hadn't been able to find out who might have done it.

"We just have to keep an eye on things. Though I think it might be Quirrell," Hermione said as the others all looked at her.

"Why do you say that?" Dean asked, "I know that Harry is picked on a lot by him, but do you really think a teacher would try and kill a student?"

Hermione shook her head, "He puts Harry in danger all the time with what he does in class, and yes I do. It can happen, Dean, Harry is the boy-who-lived and you know that some people would want him dead even though a lot more are happy with Voldemort being gone. Some could work for him and we might never even know it," she told them all.

The others nodded their heads, "So we watch Harry, and we see if we can find anything out about who might have done this. We keep our ears to the ground and our eyes peeled," Fred said as he looked at them all in turn.

They nodded their heads as they agreed to do all they could to make sure Harry would remain safe. Each of them also agreed to let Percy into their little room, a place for him to study, though they teased Hermione about wanting to ask him questions about the exams that they have. She took it in good fun as they made plans to keep Harry safe. They didn't want him alone and Fred and George wanted Percy to join in on the plans as well, he might be helpful since he is an older student.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the fantastic comments and reviews. I do hope you have enjoyed this chapter as well.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just having a bit of fun
> 
> Sorry for taking so long, I have been really busy with things. I am also moving my update day to Sunday from now on.

Chapter Thirteen

Harry and the others walked down to Hagrid's Hut. The half-giant had invited them for Sunday lunch. And since they weren't doing anything else they had decided it might be nice to go and see him. Harry had tried to bring Percy along with then, as he wanted to get to know the older teen, but he had something else that he needed to do and had backed out. The twins had overheard and decided to join them all since they were free.

Hagrid smiled as he saw them all walk towards his hut, "Afternoon all," Hagrid called out with a wave of his hand.

They smiled at him as Hermione said, "Thank you for inviting us down," the others nodding in agreement.

"You're welcome," Hagrid grinned back letting them all into his hut, and out of the cold December air. Christmas was coming and the Great Hall was decorated, ready for the Holidays.

They all piled into the small hut, each of them sharing a chair, or something so they could all sit down, their group wasn't exactly small. Hagrid served them all some tea and let them all take a cake from the large platter he had.

"Thank you," they smiled at him.

"How are you enjoying school?" Hagrid asked them all.

"It's great, there is so much to learn, and I don't know if there will be enough time to learn it all in," Hermione exclaimed, she was excited for the new knowledge they would be acquiring over the years.

Draco gave a chuckle, "I know, there is so much to learn, but we have seven years to learn most of it and then the rest of our lives to learn even more," he reminded her.

"I know, just sometimes it feels as though there just isn't enough time to do so," Hermione smiled back at him.

"I know," Harry agreed with her, some of the others nodding, while the rest rolled their eyes, muttering something about Ravenclaws.

"Though really I would love to learn more about Cerberus', they are so awesome," Fred said, dropping a hint glancing at Hagrid out of the corner of his eye.

Hagrid looked at him, a little puzzled, "Why would you want to know about them?" he asked. It wasn't something that was taught about at Hogwarts, that was for the Care of Magical Creatures Mastery level.

"I'm just curious as to how they are raised," Fred gave a little shrug.

"Well, they can be hard at times, Fluffy was," he said as he began to tell Fred a little of what he knew, "Fluffy, well you have to learn what soothes each animal. Each one is different, even if they are the same species," he smiled at the end as he looked between them.

"It has a name?" Dean said with wide eyes. He hadn't seen the large beast, but to know that it was in the school, well it was a little scary.

"How…" Hagrid puzzled and then shook his head, "You should stay away from what he is guarding. It is nothing that you need to know about, it's between Dumbledore and Flamel," he told them all, a stern look on his face, finger wagging at them.

"Okay Hagrid, we only came across him by accident. We just wanted to know more about them, they are fascinating creatures," Hermione said, an innocent look on her face.

"All right then," Hagrid nodded and added, "now eat up," he smiled.

They all shared a look. Fred and George had stopped by Hagrid's for tea before. And they had been given cakes as well. They were Rock Cakes, and they all had a feeling that they had been made out of rocks. One of them would distract Hagrid, so one by one they could feed Fang their cakes, the large dog enjoyed them.

"I don't know if it would be a good idea for them to have Fluffy in the school," Daphne said softly.

"Fluffy wouldn't really hurt anyone unless they were trying to get to what she is guarding," Hagrid Reassured her, "If you stay away then you'll be fine."

"All right, we will," they all agreed, each of them making the promise.

"So, what're your favorite lessons?" Hagrid asked them, beginning to drink his tea.

"I love Charms," Hermione and Harry said together, they looked at each other and laughed.

Draco snorted a little as he said, "Sorry but Potions is my favorite, Professor Snape may be hard, but at least he knows what he is doing."

"That's more because he is your Godfather," Harry pointed out to the blond. His response was to stick out his tongue.

"Transfiguration is mine," Dean said, "And not just because she is my head of house, I just really love the lessons," he smiled as he saw the looks he was getting.

"We have too many to count!" the twins shouted, laughing as Fang began to bark at them.

Neville smiled as he said, "I love Herbology, I do extra work with Professor Sprout as well, she says I have a gift for it," he told them all.

"Brilliant," Susan said looking at Neville, "I still love Charms, so I'm with Harry and Hermione on that," she giggled.

"So you each have your favorite lessons then," Hagrid smiled as they carried on talking softly.

XxXxX

"Right, I think it's time to head back to the castle now, dinner should start soon," Hagrid told them all as he looked outside a couple of hours later and saw the sun had gone down.

They all nodded and got up as they saw that it was dark outside. Hagrid led the way back to the castle since he would be having dinner in the Great Hall. It wasn't often that he would have dinner in his hut. They walked into the Great Hall and smiled as they sat down at the fifth table and waited for dinner to be served.

"Well, tomorrow is Monday and as far as I know we don't have any homework to do," Hermione said as she pulled out her planner and looked over the assignments that they had been given.

"We've done all ours," Fred said, gesturing to himself and his twin. The two of them had been doing their homework as soon as they got it since they had become friends with the first year group. Much to Percy's pleasure, the twin's grade had gone up as well. Though now the three brothers were trying to persuade Ron to actually put some effort into his schoolwork and homework.

"Hello," Percy said walking over to them. Harry had ordered him to join them for dinner since he had to decline the invitation to lunch at Hagrid's.

"Hey," Harry smiled as the older teen sat down with them, Oliver quickly joining them as well.

"Hey, hope you don't mind me joining you as well?" the Gryffindor Quidditch captain smiled.

"It's fine, we were just talking about our homework and if there was anything else that we needed to do before Monday. Though Hermione has told us that we are all caught up," Daphne told him, a soft smile on her face.

"Thanks," Oliver smiled to them all and then asked, "So who's idea was it to get the first years up in the air. I've been told that it was one of you lot?"

"It was Hermione mainly, with a bit of Harry added," Fred answered smiling.

"Yeah, they took the idea and ran with it. Next thing we know there are posters in the dorms telling us about the first year Quidditch," George grinned.

"Thanks, it will help us Captains in the end. I've found one that could have potential to become another great Keeper," Oliver grinned back at one of the twins.

"I want to try for seeker when I get to second year," Harry said as Draco and Dean nodded as well, all three had made plans to try out for their house Quidditch teams next year.

"You were good," Oliver had to admit to them looking at Draco, "You'd make a good chaser, beater or even seeker, an almost all round player," he told the blond. Oliver had been able to watch them all in the air as they practiced over the last week.

Draco grinned, "Thank you," he nodded, "Finally," he said as the meal was served.

The group quickly ate their dinner, talking about a few mundane things. They all wanted to go to their room so they could discuss what they had learned from Hagrid. Harry and the others felt a little bad about tricking him since he was such a nice person. Hermione had a need to know everything, and she was usually right in needing to know, as it might just come in handy later on.

Dinner was over and Harry stood up, "Right, I'm going to our room, anyone else coming?" he asked them all.

Most of them stood up, as Percy said, "I have to get a book from the library and then I'll come and join you."

"All right then," Hermione said, getting up with the last of them.

They headed towards their room, talking softly to each other. They reached the room and walked in., Harry went over to his desk and sat down, "Right," he said watching the others all find a place to sit.

"So far we've learned that the Cerberus' names is Fluffy and that she belongs to Hagrid. He has borrowed Fluffy's guarding abilities to Dumbledore and another person called Flamel." Hermione went over the facts that they had learned so far.

They all nodded, "The name does sound familiar to me," Fred said, George, nodding in agreement.

"So," Harry said softly, looking at the twins, "If you can think of anything else that make sure to tell us."

The twins nodded in agreement, "Of course. Maybe we can ask Percy as well, he tends to know the more obscure things to do with Magic," George looked at his brother.

"Yeah," Fred nodded.

"Okay, we have that down, now," Hermione said thinking for a moment, "Next thing, we'll have to research as well to find this name. I know I've read it somewhere. I have my reading list from the start of school. So I should be able to find it if I go through the books again," she said.

"I think we can all have a look through them, we should be able to find them faster," Dean suggested.

"Good idea," Hermione smiled as she

Harry took one and looked it over, "I suggest that we take a couple of the books each, take them home over the Holidays and read through them, seeing if we can find the book," he said looking up from the list.

"Yeah, listgood idea, otherwise we'll be looking at the same books over and over again," Dean smiled taking one of listsand looking through it.

"You read a lot don't you Hermione," George said as he picked up one as well, looking wide eyed at the long list.

Hermione couldn't help the little blush on her face as she smiled shyly, "I love reading, whether it's fact or fiction."

"I think most of us in the group dol," Harry said, Draco nodded his head, "Luna does as well.".

"Right," Daphne said with a little shake of her head pulling out a pen and began to mark down on her copy what books she would take out from the library.

George saw what she was doing, "Put them all down on the table for a moment," he waiting for the pieces of parchment to be put down. He cast a charm and what Daphne had marked on hers was now on all of them in a green colour.

"Right, each of us now has a colour. When we mark off a book on our own paper, it will appear on the others," George said as they all picked the parchments back up.

"Right," Fred nodded adding, "We'll do it one at a time. So Hermione first, then Harry, Draco, Dean, Neville, Susan, myself and then George. Pick four first and then we'll go around until they have all been marked off. You know, I think we'll leave a couple for Percy as well, though not that many. He has his OWLS this year, so he needs some time to study," he grinned.

The group nodded in agreement and began to mark down which books they would be reading. They looked up after half an hour when Percy joined them in the room. He was quickly told what they were doing, and what had happened on the third floor.. The Prefect wasn't happy that they had been there, but he understood that there was no other choice for them when the stairs had gone wonky.

The problem with the stairs had taken the teachers and headmaster a week to sort out. The charms on them had been weakened had been the excuse that the students had been give. It had been a pain for everyone trying to find different routes to their classes that didn't take them to the Grand Staircase while the charms were recast.. Percy had been skeptical about the excuse of the charms failing, and had been trying to see if he could find out what had really happened. He wanted to make sure that it didn't happen again. A lot of students had been afraid when the stiars had moved when they had been on them..

"Okay," Hermione said as the last book was blocked out on her list, "It might take a little while to get through this list. We are breaking up for the holidays in two weeks, so I think we have enough time to try and get at least one of them done before we leave, and another one or two while we are away" she smiled.

Dean groaned a little, he wasn't that much of a fan of reading, "all right, I think it might be a good idea, and please don't quiz us on what we're reading. Don't forget that I know you Hermione Jane Granger," he said with a pretend annoyed look on his face.

Hermione just grinned at him and giggled, "Well it will be fun, at least you'll be able to learn something that normally you wouldn't have."

"We know, but it's still going to be hard," Daphne said, as she looked at her list, "some of them are about subjects that I don't enjoy, or even like, so it will be hard."

Hermione nodded in agreement, "I know, but I have faith in you all."

"Some of them I have read before, it might be nice to refresh my memory," Percy said, a gentle smile on his face.

"Thank you for joining in with us, I know you most likely would rather tell a teacher what we are doing," Harry said to Percy, his voice sincere.

Percy smiled to them, "You have all explained your reasons for doing things this way. They are good ones, though I do think we should try at least to talk to a teacher. I don't mind helping because I have a feeling that they won't listen unless you have proof. . You've got a feeling that Quirrell is up to something, os the more information that you have the better chance you have at being able to stop it and getting a teacher to actually listen to you."

With a smile they all started to go over their lessons for the last week. Percy was answering any of their questions, though most of them came from Hermione. The others did join in, but not as much as she did. It was nice to have a bit of a relaxing day, though most days were like that for the group of first years. Percy would often come to the room so they could all talk like this. He enjoyed helping them, and the fact that Fred and George were doing their best, made him smile proudly at them. Percy knew that they worked hard with their jokes, the two knew a few things that some seventh years were only just starting to learn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the awesome comments and kudos. I do hope you have enjoyed this chapter as well.
> 
> And for those that like Percy in this story. He was only supposed to be in it for a few moments, and now, well, he's joined Harry and his group.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just playing around.
> 
> Sorry this has taken so long to get up. These last few weeks have not been good ones. I lost a good friend rather suddenly. Then two weeks ago we had to say goodbye to Benji, our dog, and part of the inspiration behind the Guardian dogs in this series.

The train pulled into the station at Kings Cross and they departed. It was Christmas and Harry was excited to be home again. He had missed his parents and his little brother. It was hard being away from his family for so long, but now he was home for two weeks at least. Harry just hoped he would be able to see his sibling be born, he didn't want to miss that. He got off the train with the others and looked up and down the platform.

"Harry!" came a shot from one end as a small blur began to run towards him.

Harry grinned as Mattie ran into him, "hey little brother," he said as he wrapped his arms around him and held him tightly.

"I missed you so much Harry," he cried as he hugged his brother just as tightly.

"Hello son," Tiberius said as he ruffled black hair.

"Hey dad, where's mum?" he asked as he couldn't see her on the platform.

"She stayed at home, she's getting closer to her time and didn't want to risk the trip just in case, she is due just after Christmas," he answered him with a smile.

Harry smiled back, "That's good, don't want her to risk my little brother or sister?" he said, giving a hint that he wanted to know.

Tiberius chuckled, "Not going to happen Harry," he told him with a shake of his head, "now say goodbye to your friends since we have to go," he told him.

Harry nodded his head and began to say goodbye to them all. Fred, George and Percy were at Hogwarts, they had been going home for Christmas but a last minute change of plans meant they would remain at Hogwarts. He went back to his dad and the three of them left for the cottage, though it was more of a house than a cottage these days with the work that had been done on it to make sure it was big enough for them all.

"Mum," Harry grinned as he saw her sitting on the sofa, reading.

"Harry," she said with a smile on her face, she put her book down and opened her arms. Harry rushed into them and hugged her tightly, "had fun at school?" she asked him as she looked at him.

"It was great mum, I've made some more friends, Percy, Fred and George, they're brothers. Fred and George are twins, but they had to stay at Hogwarts," he told her, smiling to her.

"Good to hear, lessons are all right aren't they?" she then asked, even though he had written to her over the last several months, she wanted to hear it from his mouth.

"Yes mum. Lessons have been great, love Charms the most," Harry answered, letting her go.

"Good," she nodded, "I have your report card, joint second in your year, so proud of you," she said softly giving another hug and placing a kiss on his forehead.

"Hermione beat me and Draco again, though that's not surprising," Harry laughed.

"Oh, and Remus will be spending the holidays with us again, he just wants to go through the full moon before he comes and joins us," Marge told him as Tiberius came back into the room. He had take Harry's things to his room and let Perseus out of his carrier.

"Thanks dad, I would have taken them up and sorted them out," he said as he looked at him and then back to his mum, "That's, great, I don't like the thought of him being alone during the holidays. I like it when he stays, he has so many stories about Mother and Father," Harry smiled softly.

"I know, that's why I made sure that he would be able to come again," Tiberius told him as he went and sat down by his wife.

"I like Uncle Remmy," Mattie said as he went to Harry and grabbed hold of his arm, not wanting to let him out of his sight.

Harry looked down at him and ruffled the blond hair, "So do I."

" _Harry!_ " came a yelping shout from outside as a black and white blur headed towards him.

"Medusa," Harry grinned as he was knocked down and the dog was licking him on the face.

Harry grinned as he pushed her back, he had to admit that he had missed her. He then watched as Perseus sauntered into the room and quickly jumped on Medusa back before darting into another room. Medusa gave a bark as she gave chase.

"That is one thing I haven't missed," Marge laughed, shaking her head in amusement.

Harry laughed, it was good to be home. He hated being away, he felt as though he was always going to be missing something. Harry still had a trip to Diagon Alley to do for Christmas Presents as well. He had some to send off as well. Harry went to his room to start making a list of what he wanted to get, Mattie following him closely. Harry smiled to him as he settled on Harry's bed to watch his brother.

XxXxX

Remus came through the floo and smiled as he was greeted by the two kids. He gave them both a hug as he said, "Have you been good?"

"Yes, Uncle Remmy," Mattie said as he got a lollipop from him and darted away.

"Of course I behaved, my behaviour was befitting a marauder," Harry smirked.

Remus laughed and shook his head, "Nice, tell me what you have been up to? I heard about the twins, they are supposed to be good, so maybe they will teach you a little more than what I could."

"We've joined forces for now. We plan to try and do a school wide prank next year when we go back. Though we're still coming up with ideas at the moment," Harry smiled, leading the way to the kitchen.

"That's nice," Remus laughed, sitting down at the table as Harry made them some tea, "Are you being careful not to be caught?" he asked, smirking.

"Of course," he grinned to him.

"Harry!" Mattie yelled as he went through the house wanting his brother.

"Careful, I'm making tea," he called back as the blond kid ran into the room and grabbed hold of the back of his brothers t-shirt.

"Thought you had left again," Mattie said softly, his voice scared and worried.

Harry turned to him and smiled reassuringly, "I won't be going anywhere for awhile. Not until the holidays are over.. You'll be there to see me off, don't you forget that." He gave his brother one last hug before he let go and carried on making the tea.

"I know, but I thought you might go back early," Mattie sniffled. Harry directed him to the table and he sat down, only to get distracted when he heard Dionysus bark. Mattie ran off to find his Canine Guardian.

Harry watched him go, a soft smile on his face. It was in that moment that he felt older than his eleven years. "He misses me a lot. I don't know how to make sure that he is safe without me there. I want to protect him, but how can I do that while I am at Hogwarts?" he sighed, putting the mugs down and joining Remus at the table.

Remus smiled to him, "The pain of big brothers everywhere I have no doubt. There isn't really anything you can do to reassure him that you will be there for him."

Harry nodded, "I know," he sighed.

Remus and Harry carried on talking about school and the pranks that Harry had played as well as the many that Remus had played when he had been at school. It was nice getting to spend a bit of time with his Uncle before anyone else was there. His mum and dad were upstairs sorting out the nursery, Mattie in his room and going back and forth with Harry and their parents.

XxXxX

Harry jolted in his bed as it bounced. He looked around with bleary eyes as he saw Mattie on his bed. Harry grabbed his glasses and smiled. is brother bouncing up and down. Harry smirked and grabbed a foot, making him go off balance and end up on his back on the bed. Harry pounced and began to tickle him.

"Noooooo!" he squealed as he tried to wiggle away.

"That is what you get for waking me up little monster," he said as he carried on tickling his little brother.

"Stop, it's Christmas so we have to get up," Mattie laughed and squealed.

"Really, is it?!" Harry exclaimed in mock shook.

"Yes, we have prezzies so we have to get up," he said, his eyes bright in excitement.

"Let's go wake Uncle Remus," Harry grinned as he got out of the bed and the two of the sneaked down the hallway to their uncles room and opened the door. They went on either side of the bed before they jumped. Remus grabbed them both and began to tickle them.

They laughed and tried to escape, managing it and they attacked back, "okay my little monsters, time to get your parents up."

The two boys grinned as they went to their parents room and went one either side, Mattie went to their mother and Harry to their father and they jumped onto the side of the bed, careful of Marge, since they didn't want to scare her to badly.

"Morning," they grinned as the grabbed the two boys and pulled them into the bed, "now, more sleep," Marge closed her eyes and pretend to go back to sleep.

"No mummy!" Mattie exclaimed as he poked his mother on the nose.

Marge's eyes flew open and she pretend to bite his finger, growling playfully at him, "Gonna eat you," she told him, beginning to tickle him once more.

They got up, with Mattie in his father's giggling as Tiberius tickled him. They didn't get dressed, but stayed in their pyjamas. They went down into the living room and Mattie darted to the Christmas tree where all the presents were. Remus came out of the kitchen with tea for the adults and hot chocolate for the kids.

"One present before breakfast, you know that," Marge called to Mattie as she took her tea and settled down on the sofa, Tiberius beside her.

Mattie turned and pouted, "Please can we open one more today?"

"No, one present before breakfast," Tiberius told him, a stern look on his face. Mattie had asked the same thing for the last two christmas' and each time the answer was no.

Mattie huffed and then sat back. Tiberius waved his wand and presents shot out from under the tree and wet into five small piles while one shot off towards each of them. "There we go," he smiled as he looked at them all. The first present was always something that they could wear for the day.

They each opened their one present to find some new clothes that they would wear for that day. They said their hanks you to each other and went to get changed. It was tradition that the first present that they would get would be something to wear for Christmas Day, and when Remus began to join them, he was pulled into the tradition as well.

They came together for breakfast. Talking and guessing at what they might be getting for christmas from each other. Harry and the others went back into the living room and began to open their presents, noting who gave what so they could thank the person for their present.

Harry had one present left and opened it up, a silvery cloak came out of it, "What…?" he puzzled as he looked at it, he found the note and read it out loud, "Your father left this in my care before he passed away. I now give it back to you, use it well."

"That invisibility cloak did belong to your dad," Remus said softly as he looked at it, sadness in his eyes.

Harry looked at him and asked, "How do you know?"

"Because I remember that we used it several hundred times over the years we went to Hogwarts. Still don't know why your Grandfather let him have it in second year," Remus smiled, remembering some of the pranks that they had pulled with it. "it helped us pull many pranks and explore the castle without having to keep to curfew."

"Don't you go followed their example Harry," Marge warned.

"I won't Mum," he smiled innocently. None of the three adults believed him, and even Harry knew that he would use the cloak for a bit of fun every now and then.

"Good," she nodded..

The rest of the day was spent together, eating Christmas dinner and playing with some of the new things that they had gotten. Harry cornered Remus and asked him more about the cloak. He wanted to know as much as he could about it and about the things that Remus and his father had gotten up to while attending Hogwarts..

XxXxX

Harry was curled up on a chair in the living room. On his lap was a large book that he had borrowed from the Library, it was second from last book on the list he had given. Harry had seen the list change, as one by one the books were slowly marked off. The ones that were in the yellow colour had been crossed off quickly. Hermione had even added even more books to the list and those were quickly crossed off as she read them

Remus walked into the room and smiled as he saw Harry. Over the last few days Remus had caught him reading large and heavy books. Remus had to wonder if Harry had even had a little fun. Remus went over and sat down on the sofa.

"Hey," Harry greeted seeing Remus out of the corner of his eyes.

"Afternoon Harry," he greeted back, "what are you studying?" he asked him, wondering if he could help at all.

"We are trying to find something out about someone called Flamel," he answered.

Remus frowned as he said, "Well I know that name, can't think where from at the moment," he hummed trying to think of where he head heard it. "Damn, that is going to bug me until I figure it out."

Harry laughed, telling him, "We're going through all the books that Hermione has read since the beginning of term. We know that it would be in one of them. She said that she had read about him during the school year so far. Thankfully she makes a list of all the books she has read. So we are all joining in and reading through those that we've chosen. I've got this one and one more."

Remus chuckled and smiled, "That list sounds just like Hermione."

"Yeah," he grinned.

The two went quiet, Harry carried on reading, while Remus took the list and looked through it. He hoped that one of the titles might jog his memory about where he had heard the name. He would make sure that he would tell Harry where he had heard it if he remembered.

"It would be nice if I could remember," Remus said softly.

Harry smiled back as Mattie came into the room and squeezed into the chair with Harry. Mattie didn't leave Harry alone for very long. Marge had gone upstairs to lay down for a while, her back was hurting her. Tiberius was with her since Remus was around to keep an eye on the boys for a while. The three settled in, with Mattie occasionally asking Harry something about school. Harry could see that he wanted to go with him, but know that wouldn't happen at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the amazing comments and kudos. Hope you have enjoyed this chapter as well.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just playing around while I have the chance to.
> 
> Sorry for the long wait, life is hard and busy. I am going to try and edit and post a chapter a day until this fic is finished. Let's hope I stick to it.

Chapter Fifteen

Marge sighed as she finished getting ready. She had wanted to remain at home, but Harry and Mattie had convinced her to go out. It was the Malfoy New Years party. Marge hadn't wanted to go since she was still pregnant, she had been due four days ago, a couple of days after Christmas. She had hoped that by now she would be holding her new child. She stood up and walked out of her bedroom and down the stairs, her boys were waiting for her.

"You look beautiful as always," Tiberius said as he held out his hand for her.

She smiled as they shared a kiss, "Thank you, even though I feel like a beached whale."

"You are gorgeous, always," he repeated softly, opening the floo connection.

The four of them went through and smiled as they were greeted by Lucius, Narcissa and Draco. They went inside the large ballroom that had been set up. Some of their friends had already arrived. Harry waved at a few, and after telling Marge and Tiberius where he was going went over to them. Mattie looked worried and scared, following his brother to make sure he wouldn't lose was already there as well, he smiled to Harry and Mattie as they went past and he headed over to Marge and Tiberius, who was now talking to Daphne and Astoria's parents.

Draco came into the room, a large grin on his face as he rushed over to his friends. Narcissa and Lucius walked in much more calmly as they went over to Tiberius and Marge. Tiberius was keeping a close watch on Marge, just in case she went into labour.

"How are you, Marge?" Narcissa asked as she stood next to her, a smile on her face.

"Ready for this one to be born. Harry is getting anxious now. He wants to make sure that he'll be here when this little one is born," she smiled, rubbing her belly.

"I know that feeling all too well, Draco was over a week late, and if he had taken any longer they would have induced. I was ready for him to be out a month before he was born," Narcissa smiled looking to where her son was talking with his friends.

"Mattie was the same as well, almost two weeks late," Marge smiled, "must be something about Malfoy's, since they are always late," she joked, much to the protests of the two men.

"We are not just late, we are fashionably late, making sure that we make the right kind of entrance," Lucius said as he pretended to be snooty for a moment. He couldn't help the small snort of laughter that escaped a second later.

"Idiot," Narcissa said fondly.

"I never had that problem," Perdita said, "We had Hermione early, a little too early to be honest. We thought we might lose her at one point, but she kept fighting and won."

"Oh have you talked to St Mungo's yet?" Narcissa asked them.

Dion and Perdita shared a smile and nodded, "We did, they were able to help a little. Though they said that we still have a low chance of conceiving so fingers crossed," Perdita smile as she looked at her husband.

Dion smiled back at her, "Yes, fingers crossed."

There was a chorus of laughter from behind the group of adults. "Let's go and see what the kids are up to," Remus suggested.

Lucius nodded, "might be a good idea," he was curious as to what they were up to as well.  
"Hey dad," Harry said as he noticed them heading towards them.

"So what are you all talking about?" Marge asked them all a soft smile on her face.

"We were talking about our other friends," Daphne said with a smile back at her.

"Who would they be?" Narcissa smiled as she asked them.

"Well, Fred, George and Percy Weasley, they've joined our little group. They can be a lot of fun, though Percy like to make sure we understand our school work as well. Fred and George like to prank people but they're really smart. They've actually decided to put their mind to their schoolwork this time instead of just letting it slide," Draco answered.

"Though that might be more because of Hermione than anything," Dean chuckled as he looked at the girl.

"Percy was happy about it, and he had impressed them as well," Harry smiled.

"Yes, and he's really good, he answered all my question about the lessons and about the exams as well," Hermione smiled. The others laughed at her enthusiasm, she playfully stuck her tongue out at them, causing them all to laugh louder.

"Hmmm," Lucius hummed, "well maybe next year we will be able to have them come to the party at New Year," he told them a smile on his face.

"That would be nice, thank you, Uncle Lucius," Harry said with a wide smile.

"I think we should leave them alone," Marge said softly, she saw that they weren't talking as much as they had been before the adults joined them.

The kids smiled as the adult wander away to talk to other guests. Harry started talking about the books that they were all to read, making sure they hadn't found anything yet.

XxXxX

"So, we're going to have to see if there is anything else that you have read, where you may have come across the name Flamel," Harry said as he looked at them all. Mattie stood beside him, hand clasped tightly onto his brother's jacket, barely able to stay awake.

"Okay," Hermione said. They had worked their way through all the books on their list. She was trying to think of any others she might have come across.

"Harry," Lucius called out as he went over to them.

"What is it? Is it mum?" he asked him, going pale, worried that something might be wrong.

"Tiberius is taking her to St Mungo's now, looks like it's time for you to get a new baby brother or sister," he smiled at them.

"Can we see her before she goes?" he asked him, hoping that he would be able to.

Mattie looked between them and clung onto Harry's hand as he asked, "What's wrong with mummy?"

"Something is right," Harry smiled down at him as they were led over to a side room where Marge was waiting for them, she had wanted to say goodnight to her boys.

"Mummy?" Mattie said as he let go of Harry and ran over to her.

"Hey my special little guy," she smiled as she pulled him into a hug.

"Where are you going, are you coming home, we should go home?" he said in a rush as he looked worriedly at his mum.

"Oh Mattie, it's all right, I have to go so I can have the baby, I told that I would have to go away for a day or so," she told him softly as she kissed his cheek.

Harry watched them and smiled a little as he looked to his dad, "Dad," he smiled.

"You need to watch over your little brother. Narcissa and Lucius are going to be having you until we come home," he told him.

"I know that dad, I expected it, and I will. I know he won't want to be on his own knowing that you are at the hospital," Harry smiled at him and then looked at his mother and smiled at her, stepping forwards.

"Harry sweetie," she said as she opened her arms for him.

"I remember last time mum, you didn't tell me if I was going to have a little brother or not, but I knew I was because that was what I wished for at my first birthday party," he told her as he hugged her tightly, "This time I wished for a little sister, I hope it comes true again," he grinned, looking up at her

Marge shook her head, "you have to stop wishing for such things Harry," she chuckled lightly, kissing him on his forehead, "take care of Mattie," she told him.

"I will mum, promise," he told her moving away, a smile on his face.

She said her last goodbyes to the two boys, Tiberius quickly doing the same. They went through the floo and Mattie began to cry. Harry sat down on the chair Marge had been using, pulling his little brother into his lap, comforting him as best as he could.

"It's all right Mattie," he soothed him softly, "it's alright, in a couple of days she will be home along with dad and we'll have a baby brother or sister," he reassured him.

"But I want mummy and daddy here," he said as he leaned against Harry, almost curling up in Harry's lap.

"I know, so do I. But they have to go to make sure that everything is alright. If they don't do that, and if something goes wrong they will need the healers there to help. So they're doing what they need to do so everything will be good," he told him, remembering the fear of something happening to Marge when Mattie had been born. It wasn't until he saw them again that he finally felt that everything was all right in his world.

Mattie sniffled as he clung to his brother. He knew that the baby would come and they would go to St Mungo's, but he had thought that they would be going with his mummy and daddy, "I want them," he pouted as he wiped his tearful eyes.

Harry smiled at him and nodded, "I know you do, but it will have to wait," he told him once more. He looked to his uncles as he said, "Uncle Lucius, would it be all right if Mattie and I go to our room for the night, I don't think either of us wants to be at a party at the moment," he hoped that would be all right.

"Of course, how about I send your friends in to say goodnight and you can tell them what is going on," he suggested.

Harry nodded, "yeah, that might be a good idea. I know they are going to be worried that something bad is going on with the way you rushed over."

Lucius smiled and left as Narcissa stayed with them. It didn't take long for him to come back with everyone. Hermione rushed over as she saw that Mattie had been crying, even though Harry had a smile on his face. Harry could already see the worry in her eyes.

"What is it?" she asked him as the others all gathered around.

"Mum's gone into labour, she should have the baby soon. Mattie and I have to stay here, but I don't think either of us want to be at a party at the moment, so we're going to go to our bedroom and rest, until we hear something," Harry answered her a soft smile on his face, though there was excitement in his eyes as he looked to her and to the rest of his friends.

"Oh, can't wait till we know what it is, I'm hoping it will be another girl we are a little outnumbered," Daphne said with a smile.

"How can you be outnumbered, it's only Draco, Dean, Harry, Mattie and I," Neville said with a raised eyebrow at her "there are more girls than boys, I'm hoping it will be another boy," he grinned as all but Harry nodded in agreement.

"You don't want a little brother again Harry?" Draco asked him.

"No, I wished for a little sister to go with my little brother. If I get my wish, then I'll be really happy. Though to be truthful, I don't care one way or the other as long as they are healthy," he said, smiling at them all.

They all nodded and smiled as they talked a little more before Lucius let them go. The two boys were shown to their bedroom and changed and into bed. Mattie, not wanting to be away from Harry, climbed into his brother's bed instead of his own. Harry didn't mind as he lay there awake, Mattie quickly falling asleep next to him. It didn't take long for the same to happen to Harry as he drifted off to sleep.

XxXxX

It was mid-afternoon on the first of January, and Harry and Mattie were being led through the halls of St Mungos. They had been told that they would be seeing their parents since the baby had been born three hours ago. Harry smiled, last time he hadn't seen them until they had already come home.

Lucius opened the door and let the two walk in. Marge was sitting up in bed, still looking tired, but happy as Tiberius sat on the edge of the bed next to her. In her arms was a blanket-clad bundle, the colour of the blanket gave nothing away as it was pure white.

"Mummy, daddy," Mattie grinned as he ran over to them, Tiberius bent down and picked him up, settling the five-year-old onto his lap.

Harry walked over a little more calmly and he went to the other side of the bed. He sat down when Marge patted the bed beside her Harry looked down and smiled as he looked to his mum, "so what have I got a little sister or a little brother again?" he asked her, smiling.

"You have a little sister," Marge said as she kissed her eldest on the check, before doing the same with Mattie.

"My wish came true again," he grinned and then giggled.

"No more wishes like that Harry," Tiberius told him, though he didn't know if he was serious about that or not.

"So what's her name?" Harry then asked as Mattie was making faces towards the barely awake baby.

"Carina Elizabeth Malfoy," Marge answered him, a soft smile on her face.

"I like it," Harry grinned as he leaned down a little to get a better look at his baby sister, "Hello Carina, welcome to the family. Just like Mattie, I promise to protect you and be there for you, always. Love you," he said as he then placed a kiss on her forehead. And just like when he did with Mattie, the imprint of Harry's lips glowed brightly on there for a moment as she gave a little noise of contentment.

"Hello Carrie," Mattie said testing out a nickname.

The little family talked quickly as Harry looked at them all and smiled, he was really happy, he had found out he would be able to spend another day with his family before he had to leave again and go back to Hogwarts. Marge wouldn't be released until the next morning and he would only have tomorrow with them before, as he would be going back to Hogwarts the day after. He sighed wishing he could spend more time, but he made them promise to send lots of pictures.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the brilliant comments and kudos, so happy to know you are enjoying this fic so far. Hope you have enjoyed this chapter as well


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just messing around for a while.
> 
> I am so sorry for not updating in so long. Time and life got away from me as well as November and several other things kicking my behind. I am trying to get back into a rhythm of writing, editing and posting. 
> 
> Well, here is a chapter and I do hope you enjoy it

Chapter Sixteen

Harry smiled walking through the archway and into the Ravenclaw common room. He was back,, and while he liked being at school, he just wanted to be with his family. He already missed his new sister and little brother. He went through the corridor leading to the dorms and down the winding staircase that led to the boys dorms. Walking over to his bed, he put his bag on it and went through it. He pulled out the picture that had been taken yesterday and put the frame on his bedside table.

"I can't believe you'd have a picture of your family there," Terry Boot teased him.

Harry looked over at him and shook his head, "I have a picture of them because I love my family, and I have a new baby sister that I would rather spend time with that being here with an idiot like you," he snorted as he then added, "I wonder if you even care about your family since you find it silly to have a picture of them. I know Draco has one, as do some of our other friends."

Terry stood and blinked a few times, "of course I love my family. Doesn't mean I need to have a picture of them all the time," he shrugged.

"Harry adores his family, he didn't have a nice time with his first family after his parents were killed. But then his mum took him in and adopted him, and then my uncle married her and became his dad, he has a little brother and sister that adore their big brother. Mattie was crying his eyes out when Harry had to come back here, and I know that Harry would love nothing more than to stay at home with them," Draco said sneering at his fellow first year at the boy.

"Hey, calm down, I just want to get on with the rest of the day," Harry said before anyone else could say anything.

"All right," Draco said as he looked at Harry. Ignoring the other boys that had entered, they all finished unpacking, talking about how their holidays had gone.

"Yeah," Harry nodded a smile on his face, "and you're right. I would love nothing more than to be home with them, there are so many things that I'm going to miss and I hate that," he sighed, "Right, let's go meet Hermione, we're planning to meet the twins and Percy in the room."

Draco nodded and the two of them walked up the winding staircase and into the main common room. They waited there for a few minutes until Hermione came out and smiled as she went over to them. They left the common room. There wasn't much to do on the first day back. No classes until the next day. Arriving at Hogwarts in time for a small lunch. A feast would be put on later

It didn't take them long to make their way to the Great Hall. Updating each other on their search for Flamel. Remus had been brought into the search, and he knew the name, but couldn't think where from. They headed down to the room, smiling as they walked in. Percy, Fred and George were already there, waiting for them. They had not been able to go home for the holidays and had taken refuge in the little room to escape the moaning of their little brother. Ron wasn't happy about his brothers being friends with Harry and Draco.

"How was your holiday?" Percy asked them.

"It was great, mum gave birth to my baby sister, Carina. She is so cute, and I wish I was home with her," Harry said, showing a picture of her to the three brothers. The others quickly gave them a recap of their own holidays.

"Oh and thank you for the gifts," Percy said as Fred and George thanked them as well.

"Thanks for yours as well, especially you two, the prank was brilliant used it on Uncle Remus," Harry grinned, "he said it was some good work as well."

"Wow," Fred said as he looked at his brother, "A marauder…"

"… liked our work!" George finished for him as they both danced a little.

The other laughed at them as they all gathered around the sofas and sat down. Percy and the twins joining them. They chatted for a little while longer, talking about the holidays and what it was like staying in the castle.

"Okay," Harry said as he got everyone's attention, "I think we need to do a small school wide prank. We haven't really done anything except on each other," he said mainly looking at Fred and George.

"That's true, I know Professor McGonagall thinks that she is on vacation because she hasn't had to deal with anything we have done so far this year," Fred said as he looked over to George.

"For once we have been working on our studies and doing them as well as just pranking you lot, though nothing towards the school," he said as the two smiled.

"It's nice to know that you take them seriously," Percy said softly, "I know mum was getting worried about you failing," he knew that his mother thought they wouldn't amount to much, but he also knew about all the hard work that they put into the pranks and the joke products they invented. It wasn't like you could throw anything into a cauldron and come up with a Canary Cream.

"We always did, but mum was always saying that we wouldn't get anywhere, and well, it hurt us, so instead of concentrating on school we started to just concentrate on our pranks, making sure that they were the best. That may be one day we could open a shop or something, just to prove to her that we could do it," Fred said, his voice a sad and quiet.

"I never thought of it that way," Percy said as he pulled his brothers into his arms and held them both close, as they had decided to sit on either side of him, "I know how hard you work on those pranks and I've no doubt that you will open a shop one day, just do the school work as well, all right," he suggested to them both.

"We will," they smiled as they looked to the others, "So what type of pranks are you think about?" they asked them.

"Well, I don't have a clue," Harry said as he tried to think of something, "I know that I want to have it that the whole school is going to be affected, not just a single house or something."

"Don't forget that a prank is to be enjoyed by everyone who sees it, as well as the victim. When it hurts someone's feelings then you know it's no longer a prank but bullying," Percy reminded them.

"We know," Daphne said smiling softly. It was something that Remus had told them a number of times when they thought of doing a prank or two on people.

Percy shook his head, "Just making sure, I know that a lot of people cross that line and it hurts people instead of just being funny and a bit of a laugh for all," he said.

"Okay, so we will target everyone, teachers included if we can," Harry said looking at them all, hoping one of them had an idea.

"Well," Hermione murmured, thinking hard, the others doing the same.

"How about something to do with the house symbols?" Dean asked as he looked at them all.

"Oh, now that would be fun," Harry grinned, "but what to do with them?" he pondered.

"Well, how about we get everyone to make the sound of their house, hissing snake, roaring lion, you know?" Daphne said, though even to her it sounded so dull.

Neville shook his head, "Nah," he told her, "Might be nice as an afterthought, but I think something more might be needed for this," he added.

"Agree there, that would be too simple," Susan said with a smile to Daphne, "Though it might be nice if we want to make a quick prank for us to use," she finished.

"So what do we do then?" Draco asked, trying to think of ideas as well.

"Well, how about our ties?" Fred said as he looked at them all, a grin forming on his face.

"What about them?" Harry puzzled wondering what he was on about.

"Well," Percy said looking at his brother and seeing what he wanted, "there is a spell that can be used on a tie to make it act like an animal."

"Yes, there is and I'm thinking if we add a potion to the laundry over a few days, just one that will tie all the ties together," George said with a wiggle of his eyebrows, "then we will only have to spell a tie from each house to act like it and then to gather together to form the animal."

"How about if at the end they form the house crest and then joining up to for the Hogwarts crest?" Daphne suggested.

"That would be good, might take a bit of work for the potion," George said as he thought of what else they might be able to do.

"Well, how about…" Harry began to tell them his plan, they all smiled as it was something that was funny, and wouldn't really hurt anyone.

"Okay," Percy smiled to them all, "that sound like a good idea to me," he finished.

"Does that mean we will have Perfect Prefect Percy helping us on this one?" Fred and George teased their older brother.

Percy looked at them as he said, "It's been awhile since I have had the chance to play a prank on the school, the last time was when you two were first years. It's about time I started again, the only thing that was different for me and you two was that I have never been caught," he grinned at the two of them

"Oh, Perfect Prefect Percy teach us your misguided ways!" Fred and George said as they got up and bowed down to their brother.

"Oh get up you prats," he said with a shake of his head, chuckling at their antics. Fred and George got up as they began to plot once more.

"So, what do we need for this?" Dean asked them all as Hermione had gotten out a notebook and was beginning to write things down.

"Hermione, I don't think it would be the best idea to write this down, what if it gets left somewhere and a teacher finds it?" Neville said as he knew what Hermione was like with her notebook, he had found one of them in his dorm room for some reason, and he didn't even know how it had gotten in there.

"Well we need something to make sure that we get this all down properly and we don't make mistakes," she said as she looked over at him.

"Then make sure that you leave it in this room, it doesn't leave here," Percy made the suggestion.

"But she might just put it into her back when she doesn't think about it," Dean said as he smiled at the girl.

"Then how about it is a spell to stay in here, that it can't go past the door or something?" Daphne suggested wondering if there was a spell that could be sued to do that.

"Yes, that sounds like a good idea," Percy smiled to her as he held out his hand for the book and then took it from her. He cast a spell on it and then shot one to the doorway, "there done, and it won't be able to go out of the room. If you put it in your bag it will pull you back and try and get out of it to remain in here, so be careful," he told her as he handed the notebook back.

"Oh, you have to teach me that spell, it would come in handy for things that I don't want to lose," she told him.

Percy nodded his head, "how about I do that later," she nodded her head and smiled at him as she looked back to the group.

"So, what do we need for this one?" Harry asked.

"A potion, and a way to bribe the elves into letting us put it in the potion into the laundry for the ties. So not that much really," Neville said as he smiled.

"And the spell to make the ties come together and not to harm anyone," Percy added. Everyone nodded as Hermione carried on writing things down.

"Right, we have to make a little potions area in here," George said as he got up and went to one of the side rooms of the room they were in, "I think this room might be a good place?" he said as he got the others to have a look around.

"Well, it looks good enough, though a few spells to make sure that place will be safe and I think you might be right," Percy said as he looked around.

"Erm," Neville said from behind them, "Would it be alright if I use the little balcony to make a small garden or something, I want to see if I can cultivate some potions ingredients, I'm not very good at potions so I thought if I can get the ingredients down I might be able to do better?" he asked a little shyly.

Percy smiled to him and said, "I think that would be a good idea, I know a spell to expand the space a bit more so we could really have a greenhouse type area, it shouldn't be too hard to create. I just need to find the spells. I know Mum had a place like that at home for the easier to grow ingredients and of course the vegetable patch."

"That would be great," Harry said, "We should have it all sorted into a proper place where we can study as well. It will really help improve our grades if we can practice our Herbology and potions, as well as other spells that we are taught," he said getting excited about the prospect of having a place where they could really study.

Hermione and the others laughed as she agreed, "yeah, it would be nice to be able to do so outside of lesson and to maybe learn higher level spells. I know we are just first years, but you never know," she said wisely.

Percy looked at them all and nodded, "it would make a good place for me to revise. And I don't mind teaching you all somethings I know, though I hope you don't mind learning about the theory as well," he told them all.

"We won't," they chorused, even Fred and George not minding the idea of learning something new.

They carried on talking about the room and setting it up even more and about the prank that they were going to play on the school in a week or two if they could get the potion ready on time. They did hope though, as they all like the thought of having a little fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments and Kudos, I love and adore you guys. I do hope you have enjoyed the chapter.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own Harry Potter, just playing around.  
> Sorry for taking so long, not been well at all over the last month. So any mistakes I apologise for, I have no doubt there will be some.

Chapter Seventeen  
  
It was evening and the group was once again settled into their room. Oliver and Lee had joined them this time since it wasn’t fair for Percy, Fred and George not to have their friends there as well. Hedwig flew into the room and landed on the desk in front of Harry, he was going over the last of his homework for the week ahead.  
  
“Hey girl,” he said with a smile as he took the letter from her, “he smiled as he saw it was from Remus.  
  
Dear Harry  
  
Hope you are ‘behaving’ though knowing you, you are about to pull something, I could see the look in your eyes when you left a week ago. You wanted to do something. Things are well here, Carina is keeping the house awake and Mattie keeps complaining about it. Though I can tell that he doesn’t really mind, he is just doing it because he thinks we expect it of him.  
  
Carina is doing well, as is your mother, though she looks tired. But she did when Mattie was born. Tiberius is happy and enjoying being a dad for the third time.  
  
Well, onto the main reason I sent you this letter, I have no doubt that you already know a lot of what is going on at home. I stop by a lot to teach Mattie, Astoria and Luna. Pandora is doing well, she is finally back on her feet, took a while longer than they thought, but she is.  
  
And again I am waffling, right. I found out about Flamel, well, I now know where I have heard the name. I gave Mattie a chocolate frog and he got Dumbledore again, he read the back out loud. And on it said, let me copy this  
  
‘the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon’s blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel.’  
  
He is an alchemist from what I gather, though there is something else about the name, I can’t place it at the moment. I know it’s important, I really need to go back to my research instead of just teaching you little brats.  
  
Well have fun with whatever you are planning and make sure to write to me about it, I would love to know what you got up to. Take care, Harry.  
  
Uncle Remus  
  
“Guys,” Harry called out getting the attention of the room.  
  
“What is it?” Hermione said a little annoyed at being interrupted while doing her homework.  
  
“Uncle Remmy just sent me a letter, he told me about Nicolas Flamel,” he grinned as that got everyone’s attention fully as they went over to him.  
  
“What did he tell you?” Dean asked him.  
  
“Nicolas Flamel is an alchemist, but he can’t remember what else there is about him. He said that there is something important about him though,” he answered him with a smile.  
  
“Well, at least we have a full name, maybe someone else might know?” Daphne said.  
  
“Oh…” Hermione went as she rushed away and began to look through a couple of her books, “I know now I know, let me find it!” she called out as she could feel the puzzled looks that were being directed towards her.  
  
“So anything else he said about him?” Draco asked as he came up behind Harry to try and read the letter.  
  
“Just that he helped discover the twelve uses of Dragon’s blood with Dumbledore,” he told them.  
  
“Got it,” Hermione yelled out as she went back over to them with a large book in her hands.  
  
“So who is he?” Neville asked her as the older teens stood behind him.  
  
“Nicolas Flamel, famed alchemist, the only known creator of the Philosophers stone, a stone able to create gold and the elixir of life…” she trailed off as she read the first little note about the man.  
  
“Oh,” Percy said as he looked to them all, “We need to be careful, the stone will be dangerous, not to us personally, but if it gets in the wrong hands,” he said as he looked to them all in turn.  
  
“So, why would that be so important?” Dean asked him, never having heard of the man or the stone before.  
  
“Flamel is someone that has worked with Dumbledore in the past, and they are friends from what we can gather,” Hermione said as she began to piece everything together, “So he would trust Dumbledore, we know that Voldemort isn’t really gone, not from what we have been able to learn, he disappeared, but what if he needs this elixir to come back?” she queried as she looked at them all.  
  
“Then if that is the case he would be after it, or someone that works for him,” Harry nodded his head, the mood in the room going sombre.  
  
“Do you really believe that you-know-who isn’t gone?” Oliver had to ask them.  
  
Harry looked to him, “yes, as you know my uncle is Lucius Malfoy, he was forced to take the Dark Mark, with the way he told me it works was that as soon as Voldemort died it would have disappeared because it's his magic and basically his life that it is bound to. It's not gone, it's still there, therefore Voldemort can come back.”  
  
“Why would he be forced to take the Mark?” Percy asked and the said, “Sorry, that really isn’t my business.”  
  
Draco looked at him and decided to answer him, “My grandfather made him, he first took my mother hostage, only allowing my father to see her occasional, mainly to get an heir. They weren't allowed to spend any time together. If my dad didn't take the mark, he would have killed her. When I was born he wanted to get me away, I didn’t really see my dad until after my grandfather passed away, he threatened our lives to make sure my father did as he was told. My dad didn’t want to, he doesn’t believe in that at all.”  
  
Percy looked to him as he said softly, “I’m sorry to bring up bad memories for you,” he finished as he put a hand on Draco's shoulder and squeezed, “your dad did the right thing in protecting you and your mother.”  
  
“Thank you, I know not many think that,” he said as he looked up at him. Percy smiled back as the two of them turned back to the others.  
  
“So, he will come back then,” Lee said, looking a little scared at the thought, he had only heard stories, but that was enough to frighten him.  
  
“Yes,” the first years said together.  
  
“We all knew this when we were small, we are going to be learning a bit more about defense and that during the summer,” Dean said as the others were nodding along, “though Harry, Draco, Susan, Daphne and Neville will have extra lesson in learning how to deal with their titles and estates as well.”  
  
“Why would they need to?” Fred asked a little puzzled.  
  
“I have the title of Baroness when I come of age,” Susan said as she looked to Draco, “Draco will be a Baron, like his dad, while Harry and Neville are both Earls, and Daphne will be a viscountess when she inherits.”  
  
“We have a lot to learn,” Draco said as he had learnt a little when they were younger, and the others had done the same.  
  
“They do,” Percy agreed, “our family does have a slight title of Knight, we were classed as defenders of our realm for a long time, but that has fallen out over the last seventy years I believe,” he smiled to them, “Bill had to learn a few things just in case.”  
  
“What would be the proper address for you dad then Percy?” Harry asked a little curious.  
  
“Knight Arthur William Weasley, Defender of Avalon,” he said, “We all learnt it. Doesn’t really mean anything except that we will be taught a lot of defences when we reach sixteen, enough to be able to help people.”  
  
“Oh, so your dad would be good at defence?” Neville said as he looked at him.  
  
“Yeah,” Fred grinned, “I remember some of the times I saw him teaching Bill and Charlie. He is brilliant.”  
  
“A lot of it will be family spells that we have developed to defend the People, but we are taught how to use everything at our disposal. It's why the Weasley family is always so large,” he told them, “there is a spell on us, to make sure that some of us live till the next generation, Dad has eight brothers and one sister, we only have two uncles and an aunt left out of them.”  
  
“Wow, that’s really bad,” Harry said, not liking the fact that a family was to be thought of in such a way.  
  
“You have to think Harry, that every twenty to fifty years a new dark lord starts trying to rise, my family have been fighting and defending people since the days when the first stones of Hogwarts were laid,” he told him.  
  
“Wow, there is so much to learn,” Draco said with a shake of his head.  
  
“I’ll be glad to sit down with you and tell you exactly why my family will occasionally be called Blood Traitors,” Percy told them all.  
  
“Really, how do you know all this Percy?” Fed asked him, wondering why he and George didn’t know anything about all this.  
  
“Because you will learn it all during the summer this year, dad will be sitting you down to teach you, the next year you will be learning all you need to know to conduct yourselves as true Knights, then it will be learning defence after that,” he told them smiling a little.  
  
“All right,” Harry said getting everyone’s attention, “let's leave this to another time, but Percy, I would love to learn what you know, it sounds fascinating.”  
  
Percy smiled at him and nodded, “I will if you wish, though do teach me a little about the other classes would be nice.”  
  
“We will,” Draco grinned to him.  
  
“So the stone, do you think it might be here?” Hermione asked, even though she wanted to talk more with Percy about his family's history.  
  
“I do, Fluffy is guarding something and it might just be that, if Flamel had to he would give it to his friend to look after to protect it from someone who might want to use it for evil,” Draco said as he went over to the sofa and sat down on one.  
  
“So, we need to think who might be after it, we have to make sure that it won't fall into anyone else's hands,” Neville said as he and the others all began to drift over to the sofa’s to sit in comfort as they talked.  
  
“Well, let's have a good think about that since I don't want to accuse someone,” Hermione said.  
  
They all nodded in agreement and talk began to turn to the prank that they would be playing the next morning. They had already gotten the elves to agree to put the potion into the pumpkin juice and into the coffee and tea at the head table. They were a little excited about it since it would be the first true prank for the first years.  
  
XxXxX  
  
Harry and the others were all at the fifth table eating their breakfast and drinking pumpkin juice, just like every other single student in the school. It was a timed potion and the effect would start in a couple more minutes. Harry glanced at the head table and grinned to himself when he saw that they all had some tea or coffee for themselves.  
  
Percy smiled and shook his head as he took a sip of juice as well. It was a good thing that they're twins were really good at inventing potions. It hadn’t taken them long to work this one out and he had to admit he was proud of how smart they were.  
  
“Okay,” Harry said as he looked at the time. It began at one end of the hall and quickly spread.  
  
The students had begun to hiccough, and as they did there was a burst of bubbles from their mouth, in the colours of their houses. Even now and then when they began to pop a shower of sparks would erupt like a mini firework into the air in their house colours. Harry hiccoughed as blue and bronze began to bubbles erupted from his mouth and floated up. He laughed as it felt funny inside of him as the potion caused him to hiccough again, the others were soon doing so as well.  
  
There were so many bubbles that the last part came into play. With a whispered spell from Percy, the twins and Oliver the bubbles that hadn’t popped began to form the house animals as they went around the room in a dance. The bubbles from the teachers had formed a large shield as the animals then flew towards it and formed the Hogwarts Crest.  
  
“Wow,” Harry said as he was impressed with what they had been able to do.  
  
“Hmmm,” Hermione and the others nodded in agreement, “yeah, wow indeed.”  
  
The bubbles in one large last go popped at once and sent showers of sparks all over the place in the house colours. People were laughing and reaching for them as they fell towards them, petering out to nothing before they could even reach their heads.  
  
Dumbledore stood up and clapped, some of the students joining in, “Well done to those that did that, what a wonderful way to start the day, with an impressive display of magic, and I know that it was all down to a potion,” he said as he looked around the hall, not one single person was put out with what had happened, it had started out embarrassing but since everyone had been in the same situation, it was just funny.  
  
It soon the end of breakfast and people began to leave, talking about the prank that morning was the main topic for them all. Harry and the others couldn’t help but feel happy with that as they had worked hard in making that work. It had taken a while to convince the elves to let them add the potion, but it had worked as soon as they showed them what it would do. Though it means speeding up the potions timing with a spell.  
  
They walked towards DADA, Harry once again dreading having to go, but knowing he didn't have that much of a choice. He gave a sigh as he entered the room, once again his head began to ache, all he wanted to do was to get out of there, but with a two-hour lesson ahead of him, that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon. He gave a sigh as he and the others sat down and the lesson began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the brilliant kudos and comments, I do hope you have enjoyed reading this chapter as well.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, I do hope you have enjoyed the first of thirty chapters!


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